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Mahāmaṅgalasuttaṁ
The Discourse on the Great Blessings (an analysis)

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Edited & Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu

(prose introduction)

Evaṁ me sutaṁ:
Thus I have heard:

Evam thus
me by me
sutaṁ heard

ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati
at one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthi

ekaṁ one
samayaṁ time
Bhagavā the Gracious One
Sāvatthiyaṁ near Sāvatthi
viharati was dwelling (lit: lives)

Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
at Anāthapiṇḍika's grounds in Jeta's Wood.

Jetavane in Jeta's Wood
Anāthapiṇḍikassa Anāthapiṇḍika's
ārāme at grounds (later meaning monastery)

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā,
Then a certain god, towards the end of the night,

Atha kho then
aññatarā certain
devatā god
abhikkantāya towards the end
rattiyā of the night

abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ Jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā,
having lit up the whole of Jeta's Wood with his surpassing beauty,

abhikkanta- surpassing
-vaṇṇā beauty
kevala- whole
kappaṁ whole
Jetavanaṁ Jeta's Wood
obhāsetvā having lit up

yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami,
approached the Gracious One,

Bhagavā the Gracious One
yena ... tenupasaṅkami approached

upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā, ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he stood on one side.

upasaṅkamitvā after approaching
abhivādetvā worshipping
Bhagavantaṁ the Gracious One
ekam- one
antaṁ side
aṭṭhāsi he stood

Ekam-antaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā Bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
While standing on one side that god addressed the Gracious One with a verse:

Ekam- one
antaṁ side
ṭhitā standing
kho (emphatic particle)
sā that
devatā god
Bhagavantaṁ the Gracious One
gāthāya with a verse
ajjhabhāsi addressed

(verses)
(Verse 1: Spoken by one of the Gods)

“Bahū devā manussā ca ~ maṅgalāni acintayuṁ
“Many are the gods and the men ~ who have thought about the blessings

Bahū many
devā gods
manussā men
ca and
maṅgalāni blessings
acintayuṁ have thought

(Verse 2-12: Spoken by the Buddha in Reply)

ākaṅkhamānā sotthānaṁ: ~ brūhi maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.” [1]
hoping for safety: ~ now please say what is the supreme.”

ākaṅkhamānā hoping
sotthānaṁ for safety
brūhi please say
maṅgalam- blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

“Asevanā ca bālānaṁ, ~ paṇḍitānañ-ca sevanā,
“Not associating with fools, ~ but associating with the wise,

Asevanā not associating
ca (connective particle)
bālānaṁ with fools
paṇḍitānañ with the wise
ca but
sevanā associating

pūjā ca pūjanīyānaṁ: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [2]
honouring those worthy of honour: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

pūjā honouring
ca (connective particle)
pūjanīyānaṁ worthy of honour (the honourable)
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Paṭirūpadesavāso ca, ~ pubbe ca katapuññatā,
Living in a suitable place, ~ formerly having done good deeds,

paṭirūpa- suitable
desa place (lit: district)
vāso living
ca (and)
pubbe formerly
ca (and)
kata- having done
puññatā good deeds

attasammāpaṇidhi ca: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [3]
having the right aspiration for oneself: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

atta- oneself
sammā- right
paṇidhi aspiration
ca (and)
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Bāhusaccañ-ca sippañ-ca, ~ vinayo ca susikkhito,
Having great learning and craft, ~ being disciplined and well trained,

Bāhu- great
saccañ- learning
ca and
sippañ- craft
ca and
vinayo being disciplined
ca and
su- well
sikkhito trained

subhāsitā ca yā vācā: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [4]
and whatever words are well spoken: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

su- well
bhāsitā well spoken
ca and
yā whatever
vācā words
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Mātāpitu-upaṭṭhānaṁ, ~ puttadārassa saṅgaho,
Attending on one's mother and father, ~ looking after one's wife and children,

Mātā- mother
pitu father
upaṭṭhānaṁ attending on
putta- children
dārassa wife
saṅgaho looking after

anākulā ca kammantā: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [5]
having work that is not agitating: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

anākulā (= an+ākulā) not agitating
ca (and)
kammantā work
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Dānañ-ca Dhammacariyā ca, ~ ñātakānañ-ca saṅgaho,
Giving, and living by the Dhamma, ~ and looking after one's relatives,

dānañ- giving
ca and
Dhamma- Dhamma
cariyā living by
ca and
ñātakānañ- relatives
ca and
saṅgaho looking after

anavajjāni kammāni: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [6]
(performing) actions that are blameless: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

anavajjāni (= an+a+vajjāni) blameless
kammāni actions
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Ārati virati pāpā, ~ majjapānā ca saññamo,
Abstaining, refraining, from bad deeds, ~ restraint from intoxicating drink,

ārati abstaining
virati refraining
pāpā from bad deeds
majja- intoxicating
pānā from drink
ca (and)
saññamo restraint

appamādo ca dhammesu: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [7]
being heedful regarding (all) things: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

appamādo being heedful
ca (and)
dhammesu regarding things
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Gāravo ca nivāto ca, ~ santuṭṭhī ca kataññutā,
Having respect and being humble, ~ being satisfied and grateful,

gāravo having respect
ca and
nivāto being humble
ca and
santuṭṭhī being satisfied
ca and
kataññutā grateful

kālena Dhammasavaṇaṁ: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [8]
listening to the Dhamma at the right time: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

kālena at the right time
Dhamma- the Dhamma
savaṇaṁ listening
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Khantī ca sovacassatā, ~ samaṇānañ-ca dassanaṁ,
Being patient and easily spoken to, ~ seeing ascetics,

Khantī being patient
ca and
so- easily
vacassatā spoken to
samaṇānañ- ascetics
ca (and)
dassanaṁ seeing

kālena Dhammasākacchā: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [9]
discussing the Dhamma at the right time: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

kālena at the right time
Dhamma- the Dhamma
sākacchā discussing
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Tapo ca brahmacariyañ-ca, ~ ariyasaccānadassanaṁ,
Austerity, living spiritually, ~ insight into the noble truths,

Tapo austerity
ca (and)
brahma- spiritually
cariyañ- living
ca (and)
ariya- noble
saccāna- truths
dassanaṁ insight

Nibbānasacchikiriyā ca: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [10]
the experience of Nibbāna: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

Nibbāna- Nibbāna
sacchikiriyā experience
ca (and)
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi, ~ cittaṁ yassa na kampati,
He whose mind does not waver, when it is touched by worldly things,

Phuṭṭhassa touched
loka- worldly
dhammehi by things
cittaṁ mind
yassa he whose
na not
kampati waver

asokaṁ virajaṁ khemaṁ: ~ etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. [11]
being griefless, dustless, and secure: ~ this is the supreme blessing.

asokaṁ being griefless
virajaṁ dustless
khemaṁ secure
etaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttamaṁ supreme

Etādisāni katvāna, ~ sabbattha-m-aparājitā,
Having done as here directed, ~ being undefeated everywhere,

Etā- here
disāni directed
katvāna having done
sabbattha everywhere
m (euphonic particle)
aparājitā (= a+parājitā) undefeated

sabbattha sotthiṁ gacchanti: ~ taṁ tesaṁ maṅgalam-uttaman”-ti. [12]
they go everywhere in safety: ~ for them this is the supreme blessing.”

sabbattha everywhere
sotthiṁ safety
gacchanti they go
taṁ for them
tesaṁ this
maṅgalam blessing
uttaman- supreme
ti (quotation marker)