Muni's PlayThese three short suttas deal with the concepts of being satisfied (तित्तो - titto) and satisfying others (तप्पेता - tappetā), as well as what makes a person hard or easy to satisfy based on their relationship to the things they acquire.
1. Rare People in the World
First, the Buddha points out that genuine satisfaction—and those who cultivate it in others—are very rare.
Pali
“द्वेमे, भिक्खवे, पुग्गला दुल्लभा लोकस्मिं। कतमे द्वे? तित्तो च तप्पेता च। इमे खो, भिक्खवे, द्वे पुग्गला दुल्लभा लोकस्मिन्”ति।”
Sanskrit Chaya
“द्वौ इमौ भिक्षवः पुद्गलौ दुर्लभौ लोके। कतमौ द्वौ? तृप्तश्च तर्पयिता च। इमौ खलु भिक्षवः द्वौ पुद्गलौ दुर्लभौ लोके।”
“Monks, two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is satisfied and the one who satisfies [others]. These two people are hard to find in the world.”
2. Those Hard to Satisfy
Next, he defines the behavior that makes a person difficult to satisfy (दुत्तप्पया - duttappayā) in terms of the two extremes of material relationship: hoarding and squandering.
Pali
“द्वेमे, भिक्खवे, पुग्गला दुत्तप्पया। कतमे द्वे? यो च लद्धं लद्धं निक्खिपति, यो च लद्धं लद्धं विस्सज्जेति। इमे खो, भिक्खवे, द्वे पुग्गला दुत्तप्पया”ति।”
Sanskrit Chaya
“द्वौ इमौ भिक्षवः पुद्गलौ दुष्प्रतर्प्यौ। कतमौ द्वौ? यश्च लब्धं लब्धं निक्षिपति, यश्च लब्धं लब्धं विसृजति। इमौ खलु भिक्षवः द्वौ पुद्गलौ दुष्प्रतर्प्यौ।”
“Monks, two people are hard to satisfy. Which two? The one who hoards whatever they get, and the one who squanders whatever they get. These two people are hard to satisfy.”
3. Those Easy to Satisfy
Conversely, those who avoid these two extremes are easily satisfied (सुतप्पया - sutappayā).
Pali
“द्वेमे, भिक्खवे, पुग्गला सुतप्पया। कतमे द्वे? यो च लद्धं लद्धं न निक्खिपति, यो च लद्धं लद्धं न विस्सज्जेति। इमे खो, भिक्खवे, द्वे पुग्गला सुतप्पया”ति।”
Sanskrit Chaya
“द्वौ इमौ भिक्षवः पुद्गलौ सुप्रतर्प्यौ। कतमौ द्वौ? यश्च लब्धं लब्धं न निक्षिपति, यश्च लब्धं लब्धं न विसृजति। इमौ खलु भिक्षवः द्वौ पुद्गलौ सुप्रतर्प्यौ।”
“Monks, two people are easy to satisfy. Which two? The one who does not hoard whatever they get, and the one who does not squander whatever they get. These two people are easy to satisfy.”
Summary
| Classification | The Type of Person | Pali | Sanskrit Chaya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard to find (दुल्लभा / दुर्लभौ) | The one who is satisfied | तित्तो (titto) | तृप्तः (tṛptaḥ) |
| The one who satisfies others | तप्पेता (tappetā) | तर्पयिता (tarpayitā) | |
| Hard to satisfy (दुत्तप्पया / दुष्प्रतर्प्यौ) | One who hoards what they get | यो च लद्धं लद्धं निक्खिपति | यश्च लब्धं लब्धं निक्षिपति |
| One who squanders what they get | यो च लद्धं लद्धं विस्सज्जेति | यश्च लब्धं लब्धं विसृजति | |
| Easy to satisfy (सुतप्पया / सुप्रतर्प्यौ) | One who doesn’t hoard what they get | यो च लद्धं लद्धं न निक्खिपति | यश्च लब्धं लब्धं न निक्षिपति |
| One who doesn’t squander what they get | यो च लद्धं लद्धं न विस्सज्जेति | यश्च लब्धं लब्धं न विसृजति |