The Buddha teaches which mendicants are worthy of visiting families—those free from solicitous thoughts about gifts—and shows how Mahākassapa visits families without feeling slighted whether families give much or little.

SN 16.4 Visiting Families

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, kathaṁrūpo bhikkhu arahati kulūpako hotuṁ, kathaṁrūpo bhikkhu na arahati kulūpako hotun”ti?

Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe… bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati: ‘dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu; bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ; paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ; sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ; sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti. Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti, tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ …pe… lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁdandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ, tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Evarūpo kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na arahati kulūpako hotuṁ.

Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati: ‘taṁ kutettha labbhā parakulesu

dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu; bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ; paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ; sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ; sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti. Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Dandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Evarūpo kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahati kulūpako hotuṁ.

Kassapo, bhikkhave, evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati: ‘taṁ kutettha labbhā parakulesu

dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu; bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ; paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ; sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ; sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti. Tassa ce, bhikkhave, kassapassa evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Dandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati. Kassapena hi vo, bhikkhave, ovadissāmi yo panassa kassapasadiso. Ovaditehi ca pana vo tathattāya paṭipajjitabban”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

“What do you think, mendicants?

kathaṁrūpo bhikkhu arahati kulūpako hotuṁ, kathaṁrūpo bhikkhu na arahati kulūpako hotun”ti?

What kind of mendicant is worthy of visiting families? And what kind of mendicant is not worthy of visiting families?”

Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati:

“Whoever visits families with the thought:

‘dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu;

‘May they give to me, may they not fail to give.

bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ;

May they give a lot, not a little.

paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ;

May they give me fine things, not coarse.

sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ;

May they give quickly, not slowly.

sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti.

May they give carefully, not carelessly.’

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti, tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

If a mendicant with such a thought approaches a family and they don’t give, the mendicant feels slighted. And they experience pain and sadness because of that.

Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ …pe…

If they give only a little …

lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁ

if they give coarse things …

dandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ, tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give slowly …

Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena bhikkhu sandīyati; so tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give carelessly, the mendicant feels slighted. And they experience pain and sadness because of that.

Evarūpo kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na arahati kulūpako hotuṁ.

That kind of mendicant is not worthy of visiting families.

Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati:

Whoever visits families with the thought:

‘taṁ kutettha labbhā parakulesu

‘When among other families, how could I possibly think:

dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu;

“May they give to me, may they not fail to give.

bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ;

May they give a lot, not a little.

paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ;

May they give me fine things, not coarse.

sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ;

May they give quickly, not slowly.

sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti.

May they give carefully, not carelessly.”’

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

If a mendicant with such a thought approaches a family and they don’t give, the mendicant doesn’t feel slighted. And they don’t experience pain and sadness because of that.

Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

If they give only a little …

Lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give coarse things …

Dandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give slowly …

Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena bhikkhu na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give carelessly, the mendicant doesn’t feel slighted. And they don’t experience pain and sadness because of that.

Evarūpo kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahati kulūpako hotuṁ.

That kind of mendicant is worthy of visiting families.

Kassapo, bhikkhave, evaṁcitto kulāni upasaṅkamati:

Kassapa visits families with the thought:

‘taṁ kutettha labbhā parakulesu

‘When among other families, how could I possibly think:

dentuyeva me, nādaṁsu;

“May they give to me, may they not fail to give.

bahukaññeva me dentu, thokaṁ;

May they give a lot, not a little.

paṇītaññeva me dentu, lūkhaṁ;

May they give me fine things, not coarse.

sīghaññeva me dentu, dandhaṁ;

May they give quickly, not slowly.

sakkaccaññeva me dentu, asakkaccan’ti.

May they give carefully, not carelessly.”’

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, kassapassa evaṁcittassa kulāni upasaṅkamato na denti; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

With such a thought, if he approaches a family and they don’t give, he doesn’t feel slighted. And he doesn’t experience pain and sadness because of that.

Thokaṁ denti, no bahukaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

If they give only a little …

Lūkhaṁ denti, no paṇītaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give coarse things …

Dandhaṁ denti, no sīghaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give slowly …

Asakkaccaṁ denti, no sakkaccaṁ; tena kassapo na sandīyati; so na tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati.

if they give carelessly, he doesn’t feel slighted. And he doesn’t experience pain and sadness because of that.

Kassapena hi vo, bhikkhave, ovadissāmi yo panassa kassapasadiso. Ovaditehi ca pana vo tathattāya paṭipajjitabban”ti.

I will exhort you with the example of Kassapa or someone like him. You should practice accordingly.”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026