In short: in AN 5.43 the Buddha names five things everyone wants: long life, beauty, happiness, fame and heaven. They are not gained by prayer or wishing, he says, but by practising the path that leads to them.
Householder, these five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable are hard to get in the world. What five? Long life, beauty, happiness, fame, and heaven… And I say that these five things are not got by supplication or wishing for them. If they were, who would lack them?
AN 5.43, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
What it means
The Buddha does not tell people to stop wanting good things. He says wishing alone is not how they come: you have to practise the way that leads to them. Someone who wants long life should practise the way that leads to long life, rather than praying for it. It is a practical, empowering teaching, and a gentle correction to fortune-seeking. See no need to wish and the stone in the lake.
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The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (AN5.43). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: | Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: |
| “Pañcime, gahapati, dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. | “Householder, these five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable are hard to get in the world. |
| Katame pañca? | What five? |
| Āyu, gahapati, iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; | Long life, |
| vaṇṇo iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; | beauty, |
| sukhaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ; | happiness, |
| yaso iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; | fame, |
| saggā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. | and heaven. |
| Ime kho, gahapati, pañca dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. | These are the five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable, but hard to get in the world. |
| Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ na āyācanahetu vā patthanāhetu vā paṭilābhaṁ vadāmi. | And I say that these five things are not got by supplication or wishing for them. |
| Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ āyācanahetu vā patthanāhetu vā paṭilābho abhavissa, ko idha kena hāyetha? | If they were, who would lack them? |
| Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako āyukāmo āyuṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā āyussa vāpi hetu. | A noble disciple who wants to live long ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it. |
| Āyukāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena āyusaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. | Instead, they should practice the way that leads to long life. |
| Āyusaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā āyupaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. | For by practicing that way they gain long life |
| So lābhī hoti āyussa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā. | as a god or a human being. |
| Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako vaṇṇakāmo vaṇṇaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā vaṇṇassa vāpi hetu. | A noble disciple who wants to be beautiful ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it. |
| Vaṇṇakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. | Instead, they should practice the way that leads to beauty. |
| Vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā vaṇṇapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. | For by practicing that way they gain beauty |
| So lābhī hoti vaṇṇassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā. | as a god or a human being. |
| Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako sukhakāmo sukhaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā sukhassa vāpi hetu. | A noble disciple who wants to be happy ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it. |
| Sukhakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena sukhasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. | Instead, they should practice the way that leads to happiness. |
| Sukhasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā sukhapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. | For by practicing that way they gain happiness |
| So lābhī hoti sukhassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā. | as a god or a human being. |
| Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako yasakāmo yasaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā yasassa vāpi hetu. | A noble disciple who wants to be famous ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it. |
| Yasakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena yasasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. | Instead, they should practice the way that leads to fame. |
| Yasasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā yasapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. | For by practicing that way they gain fame |
| So lābhī hoti yasassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā. | as a god or a human being. |
| Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako saggakāmo saggaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā saggānaṁ vāpi hetu. | A noble disciple who wants to go to heaven ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it. |
| Saggakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena saggasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. | Instead, they should practice the way that leads to heaven. |
| Saggasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā saggapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. | For by practicing that way they gain heaven, |
| So lābhī hoti saggānanti. | they are one who gains the heavens. |
| Āyuṁ vaṇṇaṁ yasaṁ kittiṁ, | For one who desires lofty delights |
| Saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ; | again and again— |
| Ratiyo patthayānena, | long life, beauty, fame and reputation, |
| Uḷārā aparāparā. | heaven, and an eminent family— |
| Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti, | the astute praise diligence |
| puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā; | in making merit. |
| Appamatto ubho atthe, | Being diligent, an astute person |
| adhigaṇhāti paṇḍito. | secures both benefits: |
| Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho, | the benefit in this life, |
| yo cattho samparāyiko; | and in lives to come. |
| Atthābhisamayā dhīro, | An attentive one, comprehending the meaning, |
| paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti. | is said to be astute.” |
| Tatiyaṁ. |
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Questions people ask
Can you get what you want by praying, according to Buddhism?
In AN 5.43 the Buddha says long life, beauty, happiness, fame and heaven are 'not got by supplication or wishing for them', but by practising the way that leads to them.