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A Shopkeeper (1st)

AN 3.19 · Paṭhamapāpaṇikasutta

Rain nourishes small fern shoots growing from dark woodland soil.

“Mendicants, a shopkeeper who has three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a shopkeeper doesn’t carefully focus on their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. A shopkeeper who has these three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

In the same way, a mendicant with three qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t carefully focus on a meditation subject as a basis of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who possesses these three qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

A shopkeeper who has three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a shopkeeper carefully focuses on their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. A shopkeeper who has these three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

In the same way, a mendicant with three qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a mendicant carefully focuses on a meditation subject as a basis of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who possesses these three qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.