Saṅkha’s ConductSaṅkhacariya

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, a brahmin named Saṅkha,Brāhmaṇo saṅkhasavhayo; wanting to cross the great ocean,Mahāsamuddaṁ taritukāmo, I was on my way to the port.Upagacchāmi paṭṭanaṁ.

There I saw across the wayTatthaddasaṁ paṭipathe, one self-awakened, undefeated,Sayambhuṁ aparājitaṁ; walking a desert roadKantāraddhānaṁ paṭipannaṁ, whose ground was hot and rough.Tattāya kaṭhinabhūmiyā.

Seeing him across the way,Tamahaṁ paṭipathe disvā, I thought this:imamatthaṁ vicintayiṁ; ‘A field has appeared‘Idaṁ khettaṁ anuppattaṁ, for a personage desiring merit.puññakāmassa jantuno.

Now suppose a farmerYathā kassako puriso, seeing a fertile fieldkhettaṁ disvā mahāgamaṁ; does not sow seed there,Tattha bījaṁ na ropeti, then they are not in need of grain.na so dhaññena atthiko.

So too, if I, desiring merit,Evamevāhaṁ puññakāmo, seeing a supreme excellent field,Disvā khettavaruttamaṁ; do not render service there,Yadi tattha kāraṁ na karomi, then I am not in need of merit.Nāhaṁ puññena atthiko.

Or suppose a minister seeking the royal sealYathā amacco muddikāmo, of authority over the people of the court,rañño antepure jane; does not give them money and grain,Na deti tesaṁ dhanadhaññaṁ, their authority dwindles.muddito parihāyati.

So too, if I, desiring merit,Evamevāhaṁ puññakāmo, seeing an abundantly worthy recipient,Vipulaṁ disvāna dakkhiṇaṁ; do not give gifts to them,Yadi tassa dānaṁ na dadāmi, I will dwindle in merit.’Parihāyissāmi puññato’.

Reflecting in this way,Evāhaṁ cintayitvāna, I took off my sandalsorohitvā upāhanā; and bowed to his feet,Tassa pādāni vanditvā, giving him an umbrella and sandals.adāsiṁ chattupāhanaṁ.

Though I was a hundred timesTenevāhaṁ sataguṇato, more delicate and pampered than him,Sukhumālo sukhedhito; fulfilling my giving,Api ca dānaṁ paripūrento, I gave like this to him.”Evaṁ tassa adāsahan”ti.