English
By relying on the Blessed One, venerable sir, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Dhamma, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Saṅgha, is endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones. By relying on the Blessed One, venerable sir, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī is free from doubt about suffering, is free from doubt about the origin of suffering, is free from doubt about the cessation of suffering, is free from doubt about the path leading to the cessation of suffering. She is free from doubt. And the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, was of great help to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī. 378. ‘‘So it is, Ānanda. When, Ānanda, a person, relying on another person, has gone for refuge to the Buddha, has gone for refuge to the Dhamma, has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha, for this person, Ānanda, by that person, I say there is no adequate return, that is – by greeting, rising up, saluting with joined hands, respectful acts, and by providing robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. When, Ānanda, a person, relying on another person, abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from intoxicating drinks and drugs that lead to heedlessness, for this person, Ānanda, by that person, I say there is no adequate return, that is – by greeting, rising up, saluting with joined hands, respectful acts, and by providing robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. When, Ānanda, a person, relying on another person, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, in the Dhamma… in the Saṅgha… is endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones, for this person, Ānanda, by that person, I say there is no adequate return, that is – by greeting, rising up, saluting with joined hands, respectful acts, and by providing robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. When, Ānanda, a person, relying on another person, is free from doubt about suffering, is free from doubt about the origin of suffering, is free from doubt about the cessation of suffering, is free from doubt about the path leading to the cessation of suffering, for this person, Ānanda, by that person, I say there is no adequate return, that is – by greeting, rising up, saluting with joined hands, respectful acts, and by providing robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines for the sick. 379. ‘‘And these, Ānanda, are fourteen offerings to individuals. Which are the fourteen? An offering to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Gives a gift – this is the first individual offering. Gives a gift to a Solitary Buddha – this is the second individual offering. Gives a gift to an Arahant, a disciple of the Tathāgata – this is the third individual offering. Gives a gift to one practicing for the realization of Arahantship – this is the fourth individual offering. Gives a gift to a Non-returner – this is the fifth individual offering. Gives a gift to one practicing for the realization of Non-returnership – this is the sixth individual offering. Gives a gift to a Once-returner – this is the seventh individual offering. Gives a gift to one practicing for the realization of Once-returnership – this is the eighth individual offering. Gives a gift to a Stream-enterer – this is the ninth individual offering. Gives a gift to one practicing for the realization of Stream-entry – this is the tenth individual offering. Gives a gift to an outsider free from sensual desire – this is the eleventh individual offering. Gives a gift to an ordinary virtuous person – this is the twelfth individual offering. Gives a gift to an ordinary immoral person – this is the thirteenth individual offering. Gives a gift to an animal – this is the fourteenth individual offering. "Therein, Ananda, having given a gift to an animal, a hundredfold reward is to be expected. Having given a gift to an ordinary immoral person, a thousandfold reward is to be expected. Having given a gift to an ordinary virtuous person, a hundred thousandfold reward is to be expected. Having given a gift to an outsider free from sensual desire, a trillionfold reward is to be expected. Having given a gift to one practicing for the realization of Stream-entry, immeasurable, incalculable reward is to be expected. What then of a Stream-enterer? What then of one practicing for the realization of Once-returnership? What then of a Once-returner? What then of one practicing for the realization of Non-returnership? What then of..." What need to speak of a non-returner? What then to speak of one practicing for the realization of the fruit of arahantship? What then to speak of arahants? What then to speak of Paccekabuddhas? What then to speak of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One! 380. ‘‘Ananda, there are these seven gifts to the Sangha. Which seven? One gives a gift to both Sanghas headed by the Buddha – this is the first gift to the Sangha. When the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, one gives a gift to both Sanghas – this is the second gift to the Sangha. One gives a gift to the Bhikkhu Sangha – this is the third gift to the Sangha. One gives a gift to the Bhikkhuni Sangha – this is the fourth gift to the Sangha. One gives a gift saying, ‘Let so many bhikkhus and bhikkhunis be designated from the Sangha for me’ – this is the fifth gift to the Sangha. One gives a gift saying, ‘Let so many bhikkhus be designated from the Sangha for me’ – this is the sixth gift to the Sangha. One gives a gift saying, ‘Let so many bhikkhunis be designated from the Sangha for me’ – this is the seventh gift to the Sangha. ‘‘Ananda, in the future there will be people of the clan, wearing yellow robes, who are immoral and of evil nature. Even to those immoral ones, they will give gifts, dedicating them to the Sangha. Even then, Ananda, I declare the gift to the Sangha to be immeasurable, incalculable. But I do not, Ananda, in any way declare a personal gift to be more fruitful than a gift to the Sangha. 381. ‘‘Ananda, there are these four purifications of gifts. Which four? Ananda, there is a gift purified by the giver, not by the recipient. Ananda, there is a gift purified by the recipient, not by the giver. Ananda, there is a gift purified neither by the giver nor by the recipient. Ananda, there is a gift purified both by the giver and by the recipient. ‘‘And how, Ananda, is a gift purified by the giver, not by the recipient? Here, Ananda, the giver is virtuous and of good character, but the recipients are immoral and of evil nature – thus, Ananda, a gift is purified by the giver, not by the recipient. "How, Ananda, is a gift purified by the recipient, not by the giver? Here, Ananda, the giver is immoral, of evil nature. The recipients are virtuous, of good nature. Thus, Ananda, a gift is purified by the recipient, not by the giver." "How, Ananda, is a gift purified neither by the giver nor by the recipient? Here, Ananda, the giver is immoral, of evil nature. And the recipients are immoral, of evil nature. Thus, Ananda, a gift is purified neither by the giver nor by the recipient." "How, Ananda, is a gift purified both by the giver and by the recipient? Here, Ananda, the giver is virtuous, of good nature. And the recipients are virtuous, of good nature. Thus, Ananda, a gift is purified both by the giver and by the recipient. These, Ananda, are the four purifications of gifts." The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: He who is virtuous, gives a gift to the immoral, obtained righteously, with a mind full of faith, believing in the great fruit of kamma, that gift is purified by the giver. He who is immoral, gives a gift to the virtuous, obtained unrighteously, with a mind without faith, not believing in the great fruit of kamma, that gift is purified by the recipient. He who is immoral, gives a gift to the immoral, obtained unrighteously, with a mind without faith, not believing in the great fruit of kamma, I say that gift does not bear great fruit. He who is virtuous, gives a gift to the virtuous, obtained righteously, with a mind full of faith, believing in the great fruit of kamma, I say that gift indeed bears great fruit. He who is free from passion, gives a gift to those free from passion, obtained righteously, with a mind full of faith, believing believing in the excellent fruit of action, That indeed is the foremost gift among material gifts. The Discourse on the Analysis of Offerings, the twelfth, is concluded. The Chapter on Analysis, the fourth, is concluded. Its summary: Bhaddekaratta, Kaccāna, Lomasakaṅgiya, Asubha; Mahākamma, Saḷāyatana, Vibhaṅga, Uddesa, Araṇā, Dhātu, Sacca. The Discourse on the Analysis of Offerings.