                           MAHA-MANGALA SUTTA
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
                             (Blessings)<1>
  
  
  
      This famous text, cherished highly in all Buddhist lands, is a 
  terse but comprehensive summary of Buddhist ethics, individual and 
  social. The thirty-eight blessings enumerated in it, are an unfailing 
  guide on life's journey. Rightly starting with "avoidance of bad 
  company" which is basic to all moral and spiritual progress, the 
  Blessings culminate in the achievement of a passion-free mind, 
  unshakable in its serenity. To follow the ideals set forth in these 
  verses, is the sure way to harmony and progress for the individual as 
  well as for society, nation and mankind.
  
      "The Maha-Mangala Sutta shows that the Buddha's instructions do 
  not always take negative forms, that they are not always a series of 
  classifications and analysis, or concerned exclusively with monastic 
  morality. Here in this sutta we find family morality expressed in most 
  elegant verses. We can imagine the happy blissful state household life 
  attained as a result of following these injunctions." (From //The 
  Ethics of Buddhism// by S. Tachibana, Colombo 1943, Bauddha Sahitya 
  Sabha).
  
  
                                  *  *  *
  
  
      Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Exalted One was dwelling at 
  Anathapindika's monastery, in Jeta's Grove,<2> near Savatthi.<3> Now 
  when the night was far spent, a certain deity whose surpassing 
  splendour illuminated the entire Jeta Grove, came to the presence of 
  the Exalted One and, drawing near, respectfully saluted him and stood 
  at one side. Standing thus, he addressed the Exalted One in verse:
  
      "Many deities and men, yearning after good, have pondered on 
  blessings.<4> Pray, tell me the greatest blessing!"
      
      "Not to associate with the foolish,<5> but to associate with the 
  wise; and to honour those who are worthy of honour -- this is the 
  greatest blessing.
      
      To reside in a suitable locality,<6> to have done meritorious 
  actions in the past and to set oneself in the right course <7> -- this 
  is the greatest blessing.
      
      To have much learning, to be skillful in handicraft,<8> 
  well-trained in discipline, <9> and to be of good speech <10> -- this 
  is the greatest blessing.
      
      To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to 
  be engaged in peaceful occupation -- this is the greatest blessing.
      
      To be generous in giving, to be righteous in conduct,<11> to help 
  one's relatives, and to be blameless in action -- this is the greatest 
  blessing.
      
      To loathe more evil and abstain from it, to refrain from 
  intoxicants,<12> and to be steadfast in virtue -- this is the greatest 
  blessing.
      
      To be respectful,<13> humble, contented and grateful; and to 
  listen to the Dhamma on due occasions <14> -- this is the greatest 
  blessing.
      
      To be patient and obedient, to associate with monks and to have 
  religious discussions on due occasions -- this is the greatest 
  blessing.
      
      Self-restraint,<15> a holy and chaste life, the perception of the 
  Noble Truths and the realisation of Nibbana -- this is the greatest 
  blessing.
      
      A mind unruffled by the vagaries of fortune,<16> from sorrow 
  freed, from defilements cleansed, from fear liberated <17> -- this is 
  the greatest blessing.
      
      Those who thus abide, ever remain invincible, in happiness 
  established. These are the greatest blessings."<18>
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                 NOTES
                 (Derived mainly from the Commentaries)
  
  <1>  This Sutta appears in the Sutta-Nipata (v.258ff) and in the     
       Khuddakapatha. See Maha-Mangala Jataka (No. 453). For a detailed     
       explanation see //Life's Highest Blessing// by Dr. R.L. Soni, 
       WHEEL No. 254/256.
  
  <2>  Anathapindika, lit., 'He who gives alms to the helpless'; his  
       former name was Sudatta. After his conversion to Buddhism, he  
       bought the grove belonging to the Prince Jeta, and established a 
       monastery which was subsequently named Jetavana. It was in this 
       monastery that the Buddha observed most of his //vassana// 
       periods (rainy seasons -- the three months' retreat beginning 
       with the full-moon of July). Many are the discourses delivered 
       and many are the incidents connected with the Buddha's life that 
       happened at Jetavana. It was here that the Buddha ministered to 
       the sick monk neglected by his companions, advising them: 
       "Whoever, monks, would wait upon me, let him wait upon the sick." 
       It was here that the Buddha so poignantly taught the law of 
       impermanence, by asking the bereaved young woman Kisagotami who 
       brought her dead child, to fetch a grain of mustard seed from a 
       home where there has been no bereavement.
  
  <3> Identified with modern Sahet-Mahet, near Balrampur.
  
  <4> According to the Commentary, //mangala// means that which is 
       conducive to happiness and prosperity.
  
  <5> This refers not only to the stupid and uncultured, but also 
       includes the wicked in thought, word and deed.
  
  <6> Any place where monks, nuns and lay devotees continually reside; 
       where pious folk are bent on the performance of the ten 
       meritorious deeds, and where the Dhamma exists as a living 
       principle.
  
  <7> Making the right resolve for abandoning immorality for morality, 
       faithlessness for faith and selfishness for generosity.
  
  <8> The harmless crafts of the householder by which no living being is 
       injured and nothing unrighteous done; and the crafts of the 
       homeless monk, such as stitching the robes, etc.
  
  <9> //Vinaya// means discipline in thought, word and deed. The 
       commentary speaks of two kinds of discipline -- that of the 
       householder, which is abstinence from the ten immoral actions 
       (//akusala-kammapatha//), and that of the monk which is the 
       non-transgression of the offences enumerated in the 
       //Patimokkha// (the code of the monk's rules) or the 'fourfold 
       moral purity' (//catu-parisuddhi-sila//).
  
  <10> Good speech that is opportune, truthful, friendly, profitable and 
       spoken with thoughts of loving-kindness.
  
  <11> //Righteous conduct// is the observance of the ten good actions 
       (//kusala-kammapatha//) in thought, word and deed: freeing the 
       mind of greed, ill-will and wrong views; avoiding speech that is 
       untruthful, slanderous, abusive and frivolous; and the non- 
       committal acts of killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.
  
  <12> Total abstinence from alcohol and intoxicating drugs.
  
  <13> Towards monks (and of course also to the clergy of other 
       religions), teachers, parents, elders, superiors, etc.
  
  <14> For instance, when one is harassed by evil thoughts.
  
  <15> Self-restraint (//tapo//): the suppression of lusts and hates by 
       the control of the senses; and the suppression of indolence by 
       the rousing of energy.
  
  <16> //Loka-dhamma//, i.e. conditions which are necessarily connected 
       with life in this world; there are primarily eight of them: gain 
       and loss, honour and dishonour, praise and blame, pain and joy.
  
  <17> Each of these three expressions refers to the mind of the 
       arahant: //asoka//: sorrowless; //viraja//: stainless, i.e. free 
       from lust, hatred and ignorance; //khema//: security from the 
       bonds of sense desires (//kama//), repeated existence 
       (//bhava//), false views (//ditthi//) and ignorance (//avijja//).
  
  <18> The above-mentioned thirty-eight blessings.
  
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