English
“Again, monks, many other deities approached me and said this: ‘Venerable sir, formerly, when we were human beings, ascetics came to our homes. Venerable sir, we then rose up and saluted them, and offered them seats, and shared according to our ability and strength, and sat down to listen to the Dhamma, and listened to the Dhamma with attentive ears, and retained the Dhamma after hearing it, and examined the meaning of the retained Dhamma, and practiced according to the Dhamma, understanding the meaning and the Dhamma. Venerable sir, we then, with complete deeds, without regret, without remorse, have been reborn into an excellent body.’ ” enough.” “These, monks, are roots of trees, these are empty houses. Meditate, monks, do not be heedless, do not later regret, like those former deities.” The Ninth. 10. The Velāma Sutta 20. At one time the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, who was sitting to one side, the Blessed One said this: “Is alms given in your family, householder?” “Alms are given in my family, venerable sir; but they are coarse, broken rice with sour gruel as a second ingredient.” “Whether one gives coarse alms, householder, or refined alms; if one gives them disrespectfully, without consideration, not with one’s own hand, as if throwing them away, without a view of future results. Wherever the result of that alms-giving arises, one’s mind does not incline to abundant food enjoyment, one’s mind does not incline to abundant clothing enjoyment, one’s mind does not incline to abundant vehicle enjoyment, one’s mind does not incline to enjoyment of the five abundant sense pleasures. And those who are one’s sons or daughters, or slaves or servants or workers, they too do not listen, do not pay attention, do not apply their minds to understanding. For what reason? Thus, householder, is the result of actions done disrespectfully.” “Whether one gives coarse alms, householder, or refined alms; if one gives them respectfully, with consideration, with one’s own hand, not as if throwing them away, with a view of future results. Wherever the result of that alms-giving arises, one’s mind inclines to abundant food enjoyment, one’s mind inclines to abundant clothing enjoyment, one’s mind inclines to abundant vehicle enjoyment the mind inclines to enjoyment, the mind inclines to enjoyment of the five excellent sense-pleasures. And those who are his sons, or daughters, or slaves, or servants, or workers, they too listen attentively, they lend an ear, they apply their minds to understanding. For what reason? It is thus, householder, the result of deeds done carefully. "In the past, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave such a great gift, a magnificent gift. He gave eighty-four thousand golden bowls filled with silver, he gave eighty-four thousand silver bowls filled with gold, he gave eighty-four thousand bronze bowls filled with treasure, he gave eighty-four thousand elephants adorned with golden ornaments, with golden banners, covered with golden nets, he gave eighty-four thousand chariots covered with lion skins, with tiger skins, with leopard skins, with yellow blankets, adorned with golden ornaments, with golden banners, covered with golden nets, he gave eighty-four thousand cows with silken coverings, with bronze milking pails, he gave eighty-four thousand maidens adorned with jeweled earrings, he gave eighty-four thousand couches covered with long-fleeced rugs, with white woolen rugs, with embroidered rugs, with excellent deer-skin covers, with canopies, with red pillows at both ends, he gave eighty-four thousand sets of clothes of fine linen, of fine silk, of fine wool, of fine cotton. What then to speak of food, drink, hard food, soft food, licked food, drunk food? It was as if rivers flowed forth. "It might be, householder, that you would think: 'Surely someone else was the brahmin Velāma at that time, he who "a great gift was given." But, householder, this should not be seen thus. At that time, I was the brahmin Velāma. I gave that great gift. But in that gift, householder, there was no worthy recipient, no one purified that offering. That which, householder, the brahmin Velāma gave as a great gift, and whoever would feed one endowed with right view, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a hundred endowed with right view, and whoever would feed one once-returner, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a hundred once-returners, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed one non-returner, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a hundred non-returners, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed one Arahant, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a hundred Arahants, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed one Paccekabuddha, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a hundred Paccekabuddhas, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Enlightened One, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would feed the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would build a monastery dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four directions, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever, with a confident mind, would go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever, with a confident mind, would undertake the training rules – abstinence from taking life, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct, abstinence from false speech, abstinence from intoxicating drinks and drugs, the basis of heedlessness, this is more fruitful than that. And whoever would develop a mind of loving-kindness, even for the duration of a sniff of perfume, this is more fruitful than that. That which, householder, the brahmin Velāma gave as a great gift, and whoever would feed one endowed with right view... and whoever would feed a hundred endowed with right view, and whoever would feed one ...and feed a Once-Returner... and whoever feeds a hundred Once-Returners, and whoever feeds a Non-Returner... and whoever feeds a hundred Non-Returners, and whoever feeds an Arahant... and whoever feeds a hundred Arahants, and whoever feeds a Paccekabuddha... and whoever feeds a hundred Paccekabuddhas, and whoever feeds a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One... and whoever feeds the community of monks headed by the Buddha, and whoever has a monastery built dedicated to the Sangha of the four directions... and whoever with a clear mind goes for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and whoever with a clear mind undertakes the training rules – abstaining from the destruction of life... abstaining from fermented and distilled liquors which are the basis of heedlessness, and whoever cultivates a mind of loving-kindness even for the duration of a finger-snap, and whoever cultivates the perception of impermanence even for the duration of a finger-snap, this is more fruitful than that. The Tenth. The Second Chapter, The Lion's Roar. Its summary – Roar and with residual clinging, with Koṭṭhika and Samiddhi; Perception of a boil, family, loving-kindness, deities, and Velāma.