The Numerical Discourses

Chapter 15: Existence and Inexistence

(五) 二恩	5. Two Kinds of Favors
聞如是：一時，佛在舍衞國、祇樹、給孤獨園。	1. Thus I have heard:¹ One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.
爾時世尊告諸比丘：「有此二恩。云何為二？所謂法恩、財恩。恩中之上者所謂不過法恩也。	2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “There are these two favors. What are the two? They are Dharma favors and material favors. The best of favors doesn’t go beyond Dharma favors.
「是故，諸比丘，當修行法恩。如是，諸比丘，當作是學。	3. “Therefore, monks, you should cultivate Dharma favors. Thus, monks, you should train yourselves.”
爾時，諸比丘聞佛所説歡喜，奉行。	4. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

For the source text, cf. T125.2.577b26-c2. This sūtra appears to have had a parallel in another Indic Ekottarika Āgama preserved only in a few fragments. Yusen Okubo documented the fragment of a sūtra on “two favors” (S. dve bhakti) in his paper Ekottara-āgama Fragments in the Gilgit Manuscript (p. 27), which was part of a chapter on gifts parallel with AN 2.141-150. On the other hand, it may be a parallel of AN 2.149 where P. anuggaha can also be interpreted as “favors, assistance.” [back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 30 August 2023