Overview

In the Abhisanda Sutta (AN 8.39) the Buddha calls five gifts “great gifts” (mahādānāni): primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, never adulterated, and not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. They are the abstentions of a noble disciple from the five unwholesome actions below. Each gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, from enmity and from affliction (abhayaṃ, averaṃ, abyābajjhaṃ), and the giver shares in the same immeasurable freedom. Each is also counted as one of the eight streams of merit (A-viii 449:7, 450:5).

The List

  1. Pāṇātipātā paṭivirati - Abstaining from killing living beings (A-viii 449:3-6).
  2. Adinnādānā paṭivirati - Abstaining from taking what is not given (A-viii 450:1).
  3. Kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirati - Abstaining from sexual misconduct (A-viii 450:1).
  4. Musāvādā paṭivirati - Abstaining from false speech (A-viii 450:1).
  5. Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirati - Abstaining from liquor, wine and intoxicants, the basis of heedlessness (A-viii 450:1-4).

Quote

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṃsaññāni porāṇāni asaṃkiṇṇāni asaṃkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṃkiyanti na saṃkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katamāni pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṃ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti. Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṃ sattānaṃ abhayaṃ deti, averaṃ deti, abyābajjhaṃ deti.
“Monks, there are these five gifts, great gifts, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which are not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. What are the five? Here, monks, a noble disciple, abandoning the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings. By abstaining from killing living beings, monks, a noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of living beings freedom from fear, enmity, and without affliction.

— Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 8.39, Abhisanda Sutta) · TPR

Textual References

  • Canonical: Abhisanda Sutta (AN 8.39, A-viii 445 “9. Abhisandasuttaṃ”) – These five are the 4th to 8th of eight “streams of merit” (puññābhisandā), each leading to heaven (saggasaṃvattanika, A-viii 449:7, 450:5-6). The sutta calls them mahādānāni (great gifts); the word yañña (sacrifice) is not used.

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