4.
The Discourse on Archery
135.
At Sāvatthī.
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One -
"Where, venerable sir, should a gift be given?"
"Where, great king, the mind has confidence."
"But where, venerable sir, is what is given of great fruit?"
"This is one thing, great king, where a gift should be given, and this is another, where what is given is of great fruit.
What is given to one who is moral, great king, is of great fruit, not so to one who is immoral.
Well then, great king, I will ask you a question about this very matter.
As it pleases you, so you should answer it.
What do you think, great king, suppose here you had a war at hand, a battle fully engaged.
Then a young warrior might come, untrained, unpractised in hand, unpractised in training, unpractised in archery, timid, terrified, fearful, one who runs away.
Would you maintain that man, and would you have use for such a man?"
"I would not, venerable sir, maintain that man, and I would have no use for such a man."
"Then a young brahmin might come, untrained, etc.
then a young merchant might come, untrained, etc.
then a young worker might come, untrained, etc.
and I would have no use for such a man."
"What do you think, great king, suppose here you had a war at hand, a battle fully engaged. Then a young warrior might come, well-trained, practised in hand, practised in training, practised in archery, fearless, not terrified, not fearful, one who does not run away. Would you maintain that man, and would you have use for such a man?" "I would, venerable sir, maintain that man, and I would have use for such a man." "Then a young brahmin might come, etc. then a young merchant might come, etc. then a young worker might come, well-trained, practised in hand, practised in training, practised in archery, fearless, not terrified, not fearful, one who does not run away. Would you maintain that man, and would you have use for such a man?" "I would, venerable sir, maintain that man, and I would have use for such a man."
"So too, great king, if one has gone forth from home into homelessness from whatever family, and he has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five factors, what is given to him is of great fruit. What five factors have been abandoned? Sensual desire has been abandoned, anger has been abandoned, sloth and torpor have been abandoned, restlessness and remorse have been abandoned, sceptical doubt has been abandoned. These five factors have been abandoned. With what five factors is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate of morality of one beyond training, he is endowed with the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training, he is endowed with the aggregate of wisdom of one beyond training, he is endowed with the aggregate of liberation of one beyond training, he is endowed with the aggregate of knowledge and vision of liberation of one beyond training. He is endowed with these five factors. Thus what is given to one who has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five factors is of great fruit." This is what the Blessed One said, etc. the Teacher -
Him a king needing for war would support, not a coward on account of birth.
One of noble conduct, intelligent, even of low birth, one should honour.
One should make drinking halls in the wilderness, and bridges in difficult places.
One should give to the upright, with a clear mind.
Fills the high ground and the low, raining upon the earth.
The wise one satisfies paupers with food and drink.
That indeed is his thunder, like a god raining down;
That abundant stream of merit rains down upon the giver."