AN 3.20 - Dutiya Pāpaṇika Sutta (The Business Owner – Part 2)
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana
Source: https://www.mindreleased.com/s/Book-3_Anguttara-Nikya-A-New-Translation.pdf#page=39
License: Candana — free distribution, unaltered contents
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Candana source labels: 20. Site text ID: AN 3.20.

20. Dutiya Pāpaṇika Sutta (The Business Owner – Part 2) Bhikkhus, it is through the possession of these three traits that a business owner is able to quickly gain abundant wealth.

Now what are these three?

Here, a business owner has sharp eyes, is in charge, and has supportive individuals around him.

And how, Bhikkhus, would a business owner have sharp eyes?

Here, such a business owner knows full-well that if a certain product is purchased at a certain price and then sold at such a price, then this much capital is first needed to purchase it, in order to generate a certain amount of profit.

This is what is meant by a business owner having sharp eyes.

And how, Bhikkhus, would a business owner be in charge?

Here, such a business owner is in charge of purchasing and selling the products of his business and with skill.

This is what is meant by having a business owner who is in charge.

And how, Bhikkhus, would a business owner have supportive individuals around him?

Here, affluent, wealthy, and financially well-off householders and their sons come to know this business owner as someone they could trust, evidenced by his sharp eyes and the fact that he is in charge of his business, in addition to witnessing that he is able to support his wife and family, therefore being a reliable person, who is able to pay them back. So, they invest in his business, while telling him:

‘O friend business owner, once you have earned and acquired your wealth with this money we are lending you, first support your wife and family, and then pay us back on our investments afterwards.’

This is what is meant by having supportive individuals around him.

It is through the possession of these three traits that a business owner is able to quickly gain abundant wealth.

Similarly, Bhikkhus, it is through the possession of three traits that the Bhikkhu is able to quickly gain abundant wealth of wholesome and skillful traits that are truly beneficial. Which three?

Here, the Bhikkhu has sharp eyes, is in charge, and has supportive individuals around him.

And how, Bhikkhus, would the Bhikkhu have sharp eyes?

Here, the Bhikkhu knows full-well and understands, as it truly is:

‘This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is its cessation; this is The Path that leads to the cessation of suffering.’

This is what is meant by the Bhikkhu having sharp eyes.

And how, Bhikkhus, could the Bhikkhu be in charge?

Here, the Bhikkhu stirs up energy and motivation in himself, in order to relinquish unwholesome traits and develop in himself the wholesome ones. This way, he exercises his firm resolve by taking charge and not slacking off as he develops more and more wholesome traits in himself.

This is what is meant by having the Bhikkhu be in charge.

And how, Bhikkhus, would the Bhikkhu have supportive individuals around him?

Here, the Bhikkhu frequents those more learned Bhikkhus in the Saṅgha, who are experts in The Dhamma and The Vinaya, as he works diligently to strengthen his understanding of The Dhamma, by inquiring sincerely with the eagerness to learn, while asking them:

“How is this, Venerable Sir?”

“Bhante, could you please explain to me what is meant by this?”

And those Venerable Ones then explain by providing him with helpful answers, clarifying for him what had thus far been obscure, while dissolving his doubts and perplexities about various issues he had, and therefore helping him to gain a better understanding of The Dhamma.

This is what is meant by having supportive individuals around him.

It is through the possession of these three traits that the Bhikkhu is able to quickly gain the abundant wealth of wholesome and skillful traits that are truly beneficial.