Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Āḷavi::name of a town and the surrounding country where the Buddha often stayed and taught. Geographically, Āḷavi was located between Sāvatthi and Vesāli [āḷavī]|, at the Aggāḷava shrine. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:
“sattahi, bhikkhave, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ dhāretha. Katamehi sattahi? Saddho hi, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; sīlavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; hirīmā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; ottappī, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; bahussuto, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; cāgavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; paññavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako— imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ dhārethā”ti.
“Bhikkhus, you should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavi as being endowed with seven wonderful and marvelous qualities. What seven? 1) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]|; 2) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with |virtue::moral conduct, ethical behavior [sīla]|; 3) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with a |sense of right and wrong::sense of shame, conscience, modesty [hirī]|; 4) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with |moral dread::fear of wrongdoing out of regard for others [ottappa]|; 5) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is |very learned::well educated, knowledgeable [bahussuta]|; 6) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is |generous::open-handed [cāgavant]|; 7) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is |wise::intelligent, discerning, insightful, percipient [paññava]|. It is with these seven wonderful and marvelous qualities, bhikkhus, that you should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavi.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.
Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena hatthakassa āḷavakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho hatthako āḷavako yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ so bhikkhu etadavoca:
Then, a certain bhikkhu, having dressed early in the morning and taking his alms bowl and outer robe, approached the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavi; having approached, he sat down on a prepared seat. Then Hatthaka of Āḷavi approached that bhikkhu; having approached, he paid homage to the bhikkhu and sat down to one side. As Hatthaka of Āḷavi was seated to one side, the bhikkhu said to him:
“Sattahi kho tvaṁ, āvuso, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato. Katamehi sattahi? ‘Saddho, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; sīlavā …pe… hirīmā … ottappī … bahussuto … cāgavā … paññavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako’ti. Imehi kho tvaṁ, āvuso, sattahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato”ti.
“Friend, the Blessed One declared you as being endowed with seven wonderful and marvelous qualities. What seven? ‘1) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with faith; 2) he is virtuous; 3) has a sense of right and wrong; 4) has fear of wrongdoing; 5) is very learned; 6) is generous; 7) is wise.’ Thus, friend, the Blessed One declared you as being endowed with seven wonderful and marvelous qualities.”
“Kaccittha, bhante, na koci gihī ahosi odātavasano”ti?
“I hope, venerable sir, that no householder dressed in white was present?”
“Na hettha, āvuso, koci gihī ahosi odātavasano”ti.
“No, friend, there was no householder dressed in white present.”
“Sādhu, bhante, yadettha na koci gihī ahosi odātavasano”ti.
“Good, venerable sir, that no householder dressed in white was present.”
Atha kho so bhikkhu hatthakassa āḷavakassa nivesane piṇḍapātaṁ gahetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Atha kho so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the bhikkhu, after taking alms food from the house of Hatthaka of Āḷavi, rose from his seat and departed. After his meal, the bhikkhu, having completed his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As he was sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said this to the Blessed One:
“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena hatthakassa āḷavakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁ. Atha kho, bhante, hatthako āḷavako yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ etadavacaṁ: ‘sattahi kho tvaṁ, āvuso, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato. Katamehi sattahi? Saddho, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; sīlavā …pe… hirīmā … ottappī … bahussuto … cāgavā … paññavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavakoti. Imehi kho tvaṁ, āvuso, sattahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato’ti.
“Venerable sir, earlier this morning, after dressing and taking my bowl and outer robe, I approached the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavi. Having approached, I sat down on a prepared seat. Then, venerable sir, Hatthaka of Āḷavi came to where I was; having approached, he paid homage to me and sat down to one side. As he was sitting to one side, venerable sir, I said this to Hatthaka of Āḷavi: ‘Friend, the Blessed One declared you as being endowed with seven wonderful and marvelous qualities. What seven? ‘1) Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with faith; 2) he is virtuous; 3) has a sense of right and wrong; 4) has fear of wrongdoing; 5) is very learned; 6) is generous; 7) is wise.’ Thus, friend, the Blessed One declared you as being endowed with seven wonderful and marvelous qualities.’”
Evaṁ vutte, bhante, hatthako maṁ etadavoca: ‘kaccittha, bhante, na koci gihī ahosi odātavasano’ti? ‘Na hettha, āvuso, koci gihī ahosi odātavasano’ti. ‘Sādhu, bhante, yadettha na koci gihī ahosi odātavasano’”ti.
When this was said, venerable sir, Hatthaka said to me: ‘Venerable sir, I hope that no householder dressed in white was present?’ I replied: ‘No, friend, there was no householder dressed in white present.’ Hatthaka then said: ‘Good, venerable sir, that no householder dressed in white was present.’”
“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Appiccho so, bhikkhu, kulaputto. Santeyeva attani kusaladhamme na icchati parehi ñāyamāne. Tena hi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, imināpi aṭṭhamena acchariyena abbhutena dhammena samannāgataṁ hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ dhārehi, yadidaṁ appicchatāyā”ti.
“Good, good, bhikkhu. That |clansman::young gentleman, son of a good family [kulaputta]| is one of few wishes. Even though wholesome qualities are present in himself, he does not wish them to be known by others. Therefore, bhikkhu, you should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavi as being endowed with this additional eighth wonderful and marvelous quality, namely, |having few wishes::being content [appicchatā]|.”