AN 3.24 — Very Helpful

English translation by Bhikkhu Candana.

Translation

Text

24. Bahukāra Sutta (Very Helpful) Bhikkhus, these three types of beings are found to be helpful to others. What three? The person who becomes the conduit for someone to take Refuge in The Buddha, The Dhamma, and The Saṅgha.

Such a person is surely one who is helpful to another.

Furthermore, it is the person who becomes the conduit for someone to understand and directly know and see, as it actually is:

“This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation and ending of suffering; this is the Path that leads to the ending of suffering.”

Now, such a person is truly helpful to another.

Yet another person becomes the conduit for someone to realize for himself, with his own direct knowledge and through the destruction of the contaminants, the spotless and Unshakeable Freedom of the Heart, realizing for himself Liberation through Wisdom, whereby he enters upon and dwells in it.

This, indeed, is truly a helpful person to another.

These three types of beings are found to be helpful to another.

Bhikkhus, I declare to you that there is no one more helpful to another than these three types of beings.

Also, it is not easy to repay these three beings by paying homage to them, by rising up from your seat for them and standing in reverential salutation to them, by relating to them with one’s proper conduct, by offering them robes, alms food, lodging, and medicine, and all conceivable medical attention, whenever necessary.