1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

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2“Householder, I wonder whether your family gives gifts?”

“It does, sir. But only coarse gruel with pickles.”

“Householder, someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine. But they give it carelessly, thoughtlessly, not with their own hand. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind doesn’t incline toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, employees, and workers don’t want to listen to them. They don’t pay attention or try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carelessly.

3Someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine. And they give it carefully, thoughtfully, with their own hand. They don’t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind inclines toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, employees, and workers want to listen. They pay attention and try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carefully.

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4Once upon a time, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave the following gift, a great offering. 84, 000 gold bowls filled with silver. 84,000 silver bowls filled with gold. 84,000 bronze bowls filled with gold coins. 84,000 elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting. 84,000 chariots upholstered with the hide of lions, tigers, and leopards, and cream rugs, with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting. 84,000 milk cows with silken reins and bronze pails. 84,000 maidens bedecked with jewels and earrings. 84,000 couches spread with woolen covers — shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers — and spread with a fine deer hide, with canopies above and red pillows at both ends. 8,400, 000, 000 fine cloths of linen, silk, wool, and cotton. And who can say how much food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed to flow like a river.

5Householder, you might think: ‘Surely the brahmin Velāma must have been someone else at that time?’ But you should not see it like this. I myself was the brahmin Velāma at that time. I gave that gift, a great offering.

But at that event there was no-one worthy of a religious donation, and no-one to purify the religious donation.

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6It would be more fruitful to feed one person accomplished in view than that great offering of Velāma.

7It would be more fruitful to feed one once-returner than a hundred persons accomplished in view.

8-9It would be more fruitful to feed one non-returner than a hundred once-returners.

It would be more fruitful to feed one perfected one than a hundred non-returners.

It would be more fruitful to feed one Buddha awakened for themselves than a hundred perfected ones.

It would be more fruitful to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha than a hundred Buddhas awakened for themselves.

It would be more fruitful to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha than to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.

It would be more fruitful to build a dwelling especially for the Saṅgha of the four quarters than to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha.

It would be more fruitful to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart than to build a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters.

It would be more fruitful to undertake the training rules — not to kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or take alcoholic drinks that cause negligence — than to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart.

It would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love — even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder — than to undertake the training rules.

It would be more fruitful develop the perception of impermanence — even for as long as a finger snap — than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”

1Ekaṁ 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: 

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2"Api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī"ti?

"Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ; tañca kho lūkhaṁ kaṇājakaṁ biḷaṅgadutiyan"ti.

"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.

3Lūkhañcepi, 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.

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4Bhūtapubbaṁ, 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.

5Siyā 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.

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6Yaṁ, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

7Yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

8Yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya … pe … yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya … pe … yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya – pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiṁ, musāvādā veramaṇiṁ, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

9Yañca, 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.

Dasamaṁ.

Sīhanādavaggo dutiyo.

10Nādo saupādiseso ca,
koṭṭhikena samiddhinā;
Gaṇḍasaññā kulaṁ mettā,
devatā velāmena cāti.