Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:
“Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,
“When your house is on fire,
yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;
you rescue the pot
Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,
that’s useful,
no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.
not the one that’s burnt.
Evaṁ ādittako loko,
And as the world is on fire
jarāya maraṇena ca;
with old age and death,
Nīharetheva dānena,
you should rescue by giving,
dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.
for what’s given is rescued.
Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,
What’s given has happiness as its fruit,
nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;
but not what isn’t given.
Corā haranti rājāno,
Bandits take it, or rulers,
aggi ḍahati nassati.
it’s consumed by fire, or lost.
Atha antena jahati,
Then in the end this corpse is cast off,
Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;
along with all your possessions.
Etadaññāya medhāvī,
Knowing this, a clever person
Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;
would enjoy what they have and also give it away.
Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,
After giving and using according to their means,
Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.
blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,
and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:
“When your house is on fire,
you rescue the pot
that’s useful,
not the one that’s burnt.
And as the world is on fire
with old age and death,
you should rescue by giving,
for what’s given is rescued.
What’s given has happiness as its fruit,
but not what isn’t given.
Bandits take it, or rulers,
it’s consumed by fire, or lost.
Then in the end this corpse is cast off,
along with all your possessions.
Knowing this, a clever person
would enjoy what they have and also give it away.
After giving and using according to their means,
blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
“Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,
yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;
Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,
no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.
Evaṁ ādittako loko,
jarāya maraṇena ca;
Nīharetheva dānena,
dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.
Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,
nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;
Corā haranti rājāno,
aggi ḍahati nassati.
Atha antena jahati,
Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;
Etadaññāya medhāvī,
Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;
Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,
Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.