In short: in AN 8.39 the Buddha calls the five precepts "great gifts": by not killing, stealing, misconduct, lying or taking intoxicants, you give countless beings freedom from fear, enmity and harm, and share in that freedom yourself.
We usually think of precepts as rules we give ourselves. The Buddha called them gifts we give the world. Keeping a precept, such as not killing, means "they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will."
Eight kinds of overflowing merit
The discourse lists eight: going for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching and the Saṅgha (see the Three Refuges), and the five great gifts of the Five Precepts. A beautiful way to see ethics: not restriction, but generosity.
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The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (AN8.39). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| “Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti. | “Mendicants, there are these eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness. |
| Katame aṭṭha? | What eight? |
| Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. | Firstly, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Buddha. |
| Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati. | This is the first kind of overflowing merit … |
| Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. | Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the teaching. |
| Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puññābhisando …pe… saṁvattati. | This is the second kind of overflowing merit … |
| Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. | Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha. |
| Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati. | This is the third kind of overflowing merit … |
| Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. | Mendicants, these five gifts are great, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them. |
| Katamāni pañca? | What five? |
| Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti. | Firstly, a noble disciple gives up killing living creatures. |
| Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti, averaṁ deti, abyābajjhaṁ deti. | By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. |
| Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. | And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. |
| Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. | This is the first gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it. |
| Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati. | This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit … |
| Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti | Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up stealing. … |
| …pe… | This is the fifth kind of overflowing merit … |
| kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti | Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up sexual misconduct. … |
| …pe… | This is the sixth kind of overflowing merit … |
| musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti | Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up lying. … |
| …pe… | This is the seventh kind of overflowing merit … |
| surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. | Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. |
| Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti averaṁ deti abyābajjhaṁ deti. | By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. |
| Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā, aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. | And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. |
| Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. | This is the fifth gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it. |
| Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati. | This is the eighth kind of overflowing merit … |
| Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantī”ti. | These are the eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.” |
| Navamaṁ. |
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Questions people ask
Why are the five precepts called gifts?
In AN 8.39 the Buddha says that keeping each precept gives countless beings freedom from fear, enmity and ill will, and the one who keeps it enjoys the same freedom.