ITI 100  Brāhmaṇadhammayāga sutta - The Brahmin’s Offering Of The Dhamma

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Awakened One, as I have heard:

“Ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo sadā payatapāṇi antimadehadharo anuttaro bhisakko sallakatto. Tassa me tumhe puttā orasā mukhato jātā dhammajā dhammanimmitā dhammadāyādā, no āmisadāyādā.

“I am a brahmin, |bhikkhus,::::| |approachable to all who request::open to anyone seeking help or teaching [yācayoga]|, always |open-handed::freely giving, generous [payatapāṇi]|, |bearing my final body::in one’s final existence [antimadehadhara]|, the unsurpassed healer and |remover of arrows [of suffering]::a field surgeon, doctor [sallakatta]|. You are my sons, born from my mouth, born from the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, |created by the Dhamma::fashioned by the Dhamma [dhammanimmita]|, |inheritors of the Dhamma::spiritual heir [dhammadāyāda]|, not inheritors of material things.

Dvemāni, bhikkhave, dānāni— āmisadānañca dhammadānañca. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ dānānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammadānaṁ.

There are these two kinds of |giving::the act of giving or donating, with an intention to give [dāna]||, bhikkhus::::|—the giving of material things and the giving of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of giving, |bhikkhus,::::| the giving of the Dhamma is |the best::foremost, the highest [etadagga]|.

Dveme, bhikkhave, saṁvibhāgā— āmisasaṁvibhāgo ca dhammasaṁvibhāgo ca. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ saṁvibhāgānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasaṁvibhāgo.

There are these two kinds of |sharing::distributing or sharing something that one has with others [saṃvibhāga]||, bhikkhus::::|—sharing of material things and sharing of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of sharing, |bhikkhus,::::| sharing of the Dhamma is the best.

Dveme, bhikkhave, anuggahā— āmisānuggaho ca dhammānuggaho ca. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ anuggahānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammānuggaho.

There are these two kinds of |assistance::support, help [anuggaha]||, bhikkhus::::|—assistance with material things and assistance with the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of assistance, |bhikkhus,::::| assistance with the Dhamma is the best.

Dveme, bhikkhave, yāgā— āmisayāgo ca dhammayāgo ca. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ yāgānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammayāgo”ti.

There are these two kinds of |offerings::an offering made consciously, often tied to merit-making or spiritual practice [yāga]||, bhikkhus::::|—the offering of material things and the offering of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of offerings, |bhikkhus,::::| the offering of the Dhamma is the best.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“Yo dhammayāgaṁ ayajī amaccharī,
Tathāgato sabbabhūtānukampī;
Taṁ tādisaṁ devamanussaseṭṭhaṁ,
Sattā namassanti bhavassa pāragun”ti.

“The one who made the offering of the Dhamma, |free of stinginess::with contentment, without envy [amacchara]|,
the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, compassionate towards all beings,
such a one, the foremost among gods and humans,
beings |bow to::worship, venerate, revere, honor [namassati]| him, the one |who has crossed beyond existence::who has gone beyond the state of existence [bhava + pāragū]|.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.