AN 8.33  Dānavatthu sutta - Grounds for Giving

“Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, dānavatthūni. Katamāni aṭṭha?

“Bhikkhus, there are eight |grounds::basis [vatthu]| for giving. What are the eight?

Chandā dānaṁ deti,

1. One gives a gift from |desire::intention, wish, impulse, interest [chanda]|,

dosā dānaṁ deti,

2. One gives a gift out of |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|,

mohā dānaṁ deti,

3. One gives a gift from |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|,

bhayā dānaṁ deti,

4. One gives a gift out of |fear::panic, scare, dread, terror [bhaya]|,

‘dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ pitupitāmahehi, nārahāmi porāṇaṁ kulavaṁsaṁ hāpetun’ti dānaṁ deti,

5. One gives a gift thinking, ‘My father and grandfather gave; I must not neglect the family tradition,’

‘imāhaṁ dānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti,

6. One gives a gift thinking, ‘Having given this gift, after death, I will be reborn in a good destination, the |heavenly world::a blissful realm, celestial world [sagga]|,’

‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti,

7. One gives a gift thinking, ‘As I give this gift, my mind |gains confidence:: becomes clear [pasīdati]|, and |pleasure::gladness, joy, positive state of mind [somanassa]| and joy arise,’

cittālaṅkāracittaparikkhāratthaṁ dānaṁ deti.

8. One gives a gift for the sake of purifying and supporting the mind.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha dānavatthūnī”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the eight grounds for giving.”