A Shopkeeper (1st) (AN3.19)

Numbered Discourses 3.19

2. The Chariot-Maker

A Shopkeeper (1st)

“Mendicants, a shopkeeper who has three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

What three?

It’s when a shopkeeper doesn’t carefully focus on their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A shopkeeper who has these three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

In the same way, a mendicant with three qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

What three?

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t carefully focus on a meditation subject as a basis of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who possesses these three qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

A shopkeeper who has three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

What three?

It’s when a shopkeeper carefully focuses on their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A shopkeeper who has these three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

In the same way, a mendicant with three qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

What three?

It’s when a mendicant carefully focuses on a meditation subject as a basis of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who possesses these three qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.”