Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī”ti?
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, and having approached, paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As he was sitting to one side, the Blessed One said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika: “Are alms given in your family, householder?”
“Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ; tañca kho lūkhaṁ kaṇājakaṁ biḷaṅgadutiyan”ti.
“Alms are given in my family, venerable sir, but they consist of coarse rice accompanied with sour gruel.”
“Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā; tañca asakkaccaṁ deti, acittīkatvā deti, asahatthā deti, apaviddhaṁ deti, anāgamanadiṭṭhiko deti. Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, na uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati. Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi na sussūsanti na sotaṁ odahanti na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti asakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.
“Householder, whether a gift is coarse or excellent, if one gives it disrespectfully—without regard, not with one’s own hand, gives what would be discarded, and without regard for its future consequences—then wherever the result of that gift appears for one, his mind will not incline toward enjoying excellent food, excellent clothing, excellent vehicles, or whatever is excellent among the five objects of sensual pleasure. Moreover, those around him—his children, wife, servants, messengers, and workers—will not want to listen to him, nor lend him their ear, nor apply their minds to understand him. Why is that? It is because, householder, this is the result of actions that are done disrespectfully.
Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā; tañca sakkaccaṁ deti, cittīkatvā deti, sahatthā deti, anapaviddhaṁ deti, āgamanadiṭṭhiko deti. Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati. Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi sussūsanti sotaṁ odahanti aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti sakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.
Householder, whether a gift is coarse or excellent, if one gives it respectfully—with regard, with one’s own hand, does not give what would be discarded, and with regard for its future consequences—then wherever the result of that gift ripens, his mind will incline toward enjoying excellent food, excellent clothing, excellent vehicles, or whatever is excellent among the five objects of sensual pleasure. Moreover, those around him—his children, wife, servants, messengers, and workers—will want to listen to him, lend him their ear, and apply their minds to understand him. Why is that? It is because, householder, this is the result of actions that are done respectfully.
Bhūtapubbaṁ, gahapati, velāmo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi. So evarūpaṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ. Caturāsīti suvaṇṇapātisahassāni adāsi rūpiyapūrāni, caturāsīti rūpiyapātisahassāni adāsi suvaṇṇapūrāni, caturāsīti kaṁsapātisahassāni adāsi hiraññapūrāni, caturāsīti hatthisahassāni adāsi sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti rathasahassāni adāsi sīhacammaparivārāni byagghacammaparivārāni dīpicammaparivārāni paṇḍukambalaparivārāni sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti dhenusahassāni adāsi dukūlasandhanāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni, caturāsīti kaññāsahassāni adāsi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalāyo, caturāsīti pallaṅkasahassāni adāsi gonakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni, caturāsīti vatthakoṭisahassāni adāsi khomasukhumānaṁ koseyyasukhumānaṁ kambalasukhumānaṁ kappāsikasukhumānaṁ, ko pana vādo annassa pānassa khajjassa bhojjassa leyyassa peyyassa, najjo maññe vissandanti.
In the past, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave such a great alms offering as this: 1.) 84,000 gold bowls filled with silver, 2.) 84,000 silver bowls filled with gold, 3.) 84,000 bronze bowls filled with gold, 4.) 84,000 elephants with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with nets of gold thread, 5.) 84,000 chariots draped with lion skins, tiger skins, leopard skins, and fine wool blankets, with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with nets of gold thread, 6.) 84,000 milk cows with fine cloth tethers and bronze milk pails, 7.) 84,000 maidens adorned with jeweled earrings, 8.) 84,000 couches spread with fleece rugs, fine covers, and exquisite antelope skins, complete with canopies above and red cushions at both ends, 9.) 84,000 koṭis of cloths made of fine linen, fine silk, fine wool, and fine cotton. How much more of food and drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed to be flowing like rivers.
Siyā kho pana te, gahapati, evamassa: ‘añño nūna tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosi, so taṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānan’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, gahapati, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Ahaṁ tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosiṁ. Ahaṁ taṁ dānaṁ adāsiṁ mahādānaṁ. Tasmiṁ kho pana, gahapati, dāne na koci dakkhiṇeyyo ahosi, na taṁ koci dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti.
Now, householder, it might occur to you: ‘Surely, the brahmin Velāma who gave that great offering at that time must have been someone else.’ But it should not be seen in that way. I was the brahmin Velāma at that time, who on that occasion gave that great alms offering. But, householder, in that offering, there was no one worthy of receiving gifts, and no one purified that offering.
Yaṁ, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.
Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave would it be to feed one person accomplished in view.
(…) Yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.
And even more fruitful than feeding a hundred persons accomplished in view, would it be to feed one once-returner.
(…) Yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …pe…
And even more fruitful than feeding a hundred once-returners would be to feed one non-returner.
yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya …pe…
And even more fruitful than feeding a hundred non-returners would be to feed one Arahant.
yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…
And even more fruitful than feeding a hundred Arahants would be to feed one Paccekabuddha.
yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…
And even more fruitful than feeding a hundred Paccekabuddhas would be to feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One.
yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya …pe…
And even more fruitful than feeding the Tathāgata is feeding the Saṅgha led by the Awakened One.
yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya …pe…
And ․․․ is to establish a monastery for the sake of the Saṅgha.
yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya …pe…
And ․․․ is to go for refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha with a settled mind.
yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiṁ, musāvādā veramaṇiṁ, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ …pe…
And ․․․ is to undertake the training rules with a settled mind: 1.) abstinence from destruction of life, 2.) abstinence from taking what is not given, 3.) abstinence from sexual misconduct, 4.) abstinence from false speech, and 5.) abstinence from alcoholic drinks and drugs that lead to negligence.
yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, (…) idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.
And even more fruitful than that is to cultivate a mind of loving-kindness, even for the time it takes to milk a cow.
Yañca, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya … yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya, yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo ca accharāsaṅghātamattampi aniccasaññaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataran”ti.
Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave would it be to feed one person possessing right view; and more fruitful than feeding a hundred of those with right view is to feed one once-returner; and more fruitful than feeding a hundred once-returners is to feed one non-returner; and more fruitful than feeding a hundred non-returners is to feed one Arahant; and more fruitful than feeding a hundred Arahants is to feed one Paccekabuddha; and more fruitful than feeding a hundred Paccekabuddhas is to feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; and more fruitful than that is to feed the community of monks headed by the Buddha; and more fruitful than that is to have a monastery built dedicated to the Sangha of the four quarters; and more fruitful than that is, with a settled mind, to go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; and more fruitful than that is to undertake the training rules with a settled mind—1.) abstinence from destruction of life, ․․․ 5.) abstinence from alcoholic drinks and drugs that lead to negligence; and more fruitful than that is to develop a mind of loving-kindness, even for the time it takes to milk a cow; and even more fruitful than that is to develop the recognition of impermanence, even just for the time it takes to snap one’s fingers. This is even more fruitful than all of that.”