Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,

“When your house is on fire,

yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;

you rescue the pot

Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,

that’s useful,

no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.

not the one that’s burnt.

Evaṁ ādittako loko,

And as the world is on fire

jarāya maraṇena ca;

with old age and death,

Nīharetheva dānena,

you should rescue by giving,

dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.

for what’s given is rescued.

Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,

What’s given has happiness as its fruit,

nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;

but not what isn’t given.

Corā haranti rājāno,

Bandits take it, or rulers,

aggi ḍahati nassati.

it’s consumed by fire, or lost.

Atha antena jahati,

Then in the end this corpse is cast off,

Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;

along with all your possessions.

Etadaññāya medhāvī,

Knowing this, an intelligent person

Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;

would enjoy what they have and also give it away.

Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,

After giving and using according to their means,

Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.

blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”