Rājagaha's streets and squares, with the occasion set at the Bamboo Grove
Speakers
The same native spirit devoted to the nun Sukkā, addressing the general public
Form
A brief public proclamation praising an act of generosity
Length
~1.5 minutes to read
Northern parallel
A rough counterpart may exist in the Chinese Saṃyukta-āgama (T99), though this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — the briefest discourse in this saṃyutta so far
Why this discourse
This companion discourse returns to the same devoted spirit and the same nun Sukkā, but shifts the occasion entirely: rather than witnessing her teach, the spirit sees an ordinary lay follower give her food, and is moved to the same public proclamation as before. The verse doesn't praise the food itself or the act of giving in the abstract; it specifies exactly why this particular gift carries such weight — because the recipient, Sukkā, is herself ‘released from all ties’, making an ordinary act of generosity into something the spirit considers genuinely significant merit.
Reading guide
The same spirit, a different occasion entirely
This discourse doesn't repeat SN 10.9's scene; it shifts from Sukkā teaching to Sukkā simply receiving alms, showing the spirit's devotion extending to ordinary moments of her life, not only her more visible public teaching.
An entirely ordinary act made the occasion for public praise
Giving food to a nun on alms round is about as unremarkable an event as this saṃyutta records; the spirit's decision to proclaim it publicly through the city's streets treats this everyday generosity as genuinely praiseworthy rather than routine.
Merit specified as substantial, not vaguely positive
The verse doesn't simply say the donor did something nice; it opens with an exclamation about how much merit he's made, treating the act's spiritual significance as something worth quantifying rather than a generic compliment.
Wisdom attributed to the giver, not just generosity
The donor isn't praised only for kindness or generosity; the verse specifically calls him ‘very wise’, crediting him with a kind of discernment in recognizing who was worth giving to, not merely a generous impulse.
The recipient's liberation named as the actual reason
The verse's closing line doesn't leave the gift's significance unexplained; it states directly that Sukkā is ‘released from all ties’, making her specifically the reason this act of giving carries such weight — the merit tied to who received the gift, not only the act of giving itself.
Key terms
sukkāya bhikkhuniyā bhojanaṁ adāsi — “gave food to the nun Sukkā” — the ordinary act of generosity that becomes this discourse's occasion.
abhippasanno yakkho — “a native spirit so devoted” — the same figure from SN 10.9, extending his devotion to this everyday moment.
puññaṁ vata pasavi bahuṁ — “he has made so much merit!” — the verse's opening exclamation, treating the merit as substantial rather than vaguely positive.
sappañño vatāyaṁ upāsako — “that lay follower is so very wise” — crediting the donor with discernment, not only generosity.
sabbaganthehi vippamuttiyā — “released from all ties” — naming Sukkā's own liberation as the actual reason the gift carries such weight.
The text
The discourse in full. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time a certain lay follower gave food to the nun Sukkā. Then a native spirit was so devoted to Sukkā that he went from street to street and from square to square, and on that occasion recited these verses:
§2“O! He has made so much merit! That lay follower is so very wise. He just gave food to Sukkā, who is released from all ties.”
· · ·
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What occasion prompts this discourse, compared to SN 10.9's?
Correct: A. A shift from her public teaching to an everyday moment of receiving alms.
Question 2 of 10
How does the spirit respond to witnessing this act of giving?
Correct: A. The same devoted spirit, extending his public praise to this ordinary occasion.
Question 3 of 10
How does the verse characterize the merit made by this act?
Correct: A. Treating the act's spiritual significance as something worth emphasizing directly.
Question 4 of 10
What quality does the verse attribute to the donor, beyond generosity?
Correct: A. Crediting a kind of discernment, not merely a generous impulse.
Question 5 of 10
What does the verse name as the actual reason this gift carries such weight?
Correct: A. The merit tied to who received the gift, not only the act of giving itself.
Question 6 of 10
How does this discourse's length compare to others in this saṃyutta?
Correct: A. A single, compact verse, shorter even than SN 10.9's.
Question 7 of 10
What does this pair of discourses (SN 10.9 and 10.10) together suggest about Sukkā?
Correct: A. Two complementary occasions honoring different aspects of who she is.
Question 8 of 10
Who is the recurring figure across both this discourse and SN 10.9?
Correct: A. The spirit's devotion to Sukkā spans both occasions.
Question 9 of 10
Where does this discourse's occasion take place?
Correct: A. The same setting as SN 10.9, immediately before it.
Question 10 of 10
What kind of act does this discourse treat as worthy of public celebration?
Correct: A. Treating routine generosity as genuinely praiseworthy, not merely unremarkable.
