Dighanikaya 31.256

31.256

Atītena paṭisantharatīti sahāye āgate ‘‘hiyyo vā pare vā na āgatosi, amhākaṃ imasmiṃ vāre sassaṃ ativiya nipphannaṃ, bahūni sāliyavabījādīni ṭhapetvā maggaṃ olokentā nisīdimha, ajja pana sabbaṃ khīṇa’’nti evaṃ atītena saṅgaṇhāti. Anāgatenāti ‘‘imasmiṃ vāre amhākaṃ sassaṃ manāpaṃ bhavissati, phalabhārabharitā sāliādayo, sassasaṅgahe kate tumhākaṃ saṅgahaṃ kātuṃ samatthā bhavissāmā’’ti evaṃ anāgatena saṅgaṇhāti. Niratthakenāti hatthikkhandhe vā assapiṭṭhe vā nisinno sahāyaṃ disvā ‘‘ehi, bho, idha nisīdā’’ti vadati. Manāpaṃ sāṭakaṃ nivāsetvā ‘‘sahāyakassa vata me anucchaviko añño pana mayhaṃ natthī’’ti vadati, evaṃ niratthakena saṅgaṇhāti nāma. Paccuppannesu kiccesu byasanaṃ dassetīti ‘‘sakaṭena me attho’’ti vutte ‘‘cakkamassa bhinnaṃ, akkho chinno’’tiādīni vadati.

"He welcomes with the past" means when a friend has come, he receives him with the past in this way: "You did not come yesterday or the day before; on this occasion our crop turned out exceedingly well, and having set aside many seeds of rice, barley, and so forth, we sat watching the road, but today everything is finished." "With the future" means he receives him with the future in this way: "On this occasion our crop will be lovely, the rice and other grains laden with a heavy harvest; when the harvest is gathered, we will be able to show hospitality to you." "With what is useless" means seated on the neck of an elephant or on the back of a horse, having seen his friend he says: "Come, sir, sit here!" Having put on an attractive garment, he says: "Indeed, this would be suitable for my friend, but I have no other"—thus he receives him with what is useless. "He shows adversity regarding present duties" means when it is said, "I need a cart," he says: "Its wheel is broken, the axle is snapped," and so forth.