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nor gives a gift, thinking, 'As I give this gift, my mind becomes clear, satisfaction and joy arise'; but rather gives a gift as an adornment of the mind, an equipment for the mind. Having given that gift, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn into the companionship of the Brahmā-bodied devas. Having exhausted that karma, that power, that fame, that dominion, he becomes a non-returner, not returning to this state of being. This, Sāriputta, is the reason, this is the cause, why for some, a gift given in such a way is not of great fruit, not of great benefit. But this, Sāriputta, is the reason, this is the cause, why for some, a gift given in such a way is of great fruit, of great benefit. The Ninth. 10. The Discourse on Nandamātā 53. Thus have I heard – On one occasion, the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were wandering in the Southern Mountains with a large community of bhikkhus. Now at that time, the lay follower Nandamātā of Veḷukaṇḍakī, having risen in the early morning, was reciting the Pārāyana in a loud voice. Now at that time, King Vessavaṇa was going from the northern direction to the southern direction for some business. King Vessavaṇa heard Nandamātā... while that female lay follower was reciting the Pārāyana in a loud voice, he stood waiting for the end of the discourse. Then the female lay follower Nandamātā, having recited the Pārāyana in a loud voice, became silent. Then the Great King Vessavaṇa, knowing the end of the female lay follower Nandamātā's discourse, applauded, "Excellent, sister! Excellent, sister!" "Who is this, good sir?" "I am your brother, sister, the Great King Vessavaṇa." "Excellent, good sir! Then let this discourse on the Dhamma which I have recited be your hospitality." "Excellent, sister! Let that indeed be my hospitality. And tomorrow, the community of bhikkhus, led by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, having not yet eaten their morning meal, will come to Veḷukaṇḍaka. Having served that community of bhikkhus, you should dedicate the merit to me. And that will indeed be my hospitality." Then the female lay follower Nandamātā, when that night had passed, had delicious hard and soft food prepared in her own dwelling. Then the community of bhikkhus, led by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, having not yet eaten their morning meal, arrived at Veḷukaṇḍaka. Then the female lay follower Nandamātā addressed a certain man, "Come, good man, go to the monastery and announce the time to the community of bhikkhus: 'It is time, venerable sirs, the meal is ready at the dwelling of the venerable Nandamātā.'" "Yes, lady," that man, having assented to the female lay follower Nandamātā, went to the monastery and announced the time to the community of bhikkhus: "It is time, venerable sirs, the meal is ready at the dwelling of the venerable Nandamātā." Then the community of bhikkhus, led by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, having dressed in the forenoon, and taking their bowls and robes, approached the dwelling of the female lay follower Nandamātā; having approached, they sat down on the seats prepared. Then the female lay follower Nandamātā served the community of bhikkhus, led by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, with delicious hard and soft food. with his own hands he served and satisfied them. Then, Nanda's mother, the lay follower, sat down to one side after the Venerable Sāriputta had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl. To Nanda's mother, the lay follower, who was sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said: "Who, Nanda's mother, informed you of the arrival of the monastic community?" "Here, venerable sir, I rose in the latter part of the night, recited the Pārāyana aloud, and then became silent. Then, venerable sir, King Vessavaṇa, knowing the end of my recitation, applauded: 'Excellent, sister, excellent, sister!' 'Who is this, good sir?' 'I am your brother, sister, King Vessavaṇa.' 'Excellent, good sir, then let this Dhamma discourse that I have recited be your hospitality.' 'Excellent, sister, let that indeed be my hospitality. Tomorrow, the monastic community, led by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, not having eaten breakfast, will come to Veḷukaṇḍaka, and having served that monastic community, you should dedicate the merit to me. That will indeed be my hospitality.' Whatever merit and great merit there is in this gift, venerable sir, may that be for the happiness of King Vessavaṇa." "Wonderful, Nanda's mother, amazing, Nanda's mother! That you should converse face to face with King Vessavaṇa, a deity of such great power and such great might!" "This, venerable sir, is not the only wonderful and amazing thing for me. I have another wonderful and amazing thing. Here, venerable sir, I have a beloved and pleasing only son named Nanda. The kings, on some occasion, forcibly they took his life. And then, venerable sir, when that child was seized or being seized, when killed or being killed, when slain or being slain, I do not recall any change in my mind. "Wonderful, Nandamātā, Amazing, Nandamātā! That you purify even a thought-arising!" "Indeed, venerable sir, this is not the only wonderful and amazing quality I possess. I have another wonderful and amazing quality. Here, venerable sir, my husband passed away and was reborn into a certain yakkha realm. He appeared to me in that same former form. And yet, venerable sir, I do not recall any change in my mind because of that." "Wonderful, Nandamātā, Amazing, Nandamātā! That you purify even a thought-arising!" "Indeed, venerable sir, this is not the only wonderful and amazing quality I possess. I have another wonderful and amazing quality. Since I, venerable sir, was brought to my husband when I was young, and he was young, I do not recall having transgressed against my husband even in thought, much less in body!" "Wonderful, Nandamātā, Amazing, Nandamātā! That you purify even a thought-arising!" "Indeed, venerable sir, this is not the only wonderful and amazing quality I possess. I have another wonderful and amazing quality. Since I, venerable sir, declared myself a lay follower, I do not recall having intentionally transgressed any training rule." "Wonderful, Nandamātā, Amazing, Nandamātā!" "Indeed, venerable sir, this is not the only wonderful and amazing quality I possess. I have another wonderful and amazing quality. Here, venerable sir, whenever I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and joy. With the calming of applied thought and sustained thought, internally I abide having entered the second jhāna, which is internal serenity and unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure. And with the fading of rapture, I abide equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, and I experience pleasure with the body, that which the noble ones declare: ‘Equanimous, mindful, one who abides in pleasure’— I abide having entered the third jhāna. With the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, I abide having entered the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness.” “It is wonderful, Nandamātā, it is amazing, Nandamātā!” “Indeed, venerable sir, this is not the only wonderful and amazing quality I possess. I have another wonderful and amazing quality. Venerable sir, those five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One— I do not see any of them as not abandoned in myself.” “It is wonderful, Nandamātā, it is amazing, Nandamātā!” Then, having instructed, inspired, roused, and gladdened the lay follower Nandamātā with a Dhamma talk, Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seat and departed. The Tenth. The Great Sacrifice Chapter, the Fifth. Its summary: Stability and requisites, two; fires, and two more perceptions; Sexual intercourse, a fetter, and giving; with Nandamātā, these are ten. The First Fifty Concluded.