11.
The Discourse to Jāṇussoṇi
177.
Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi said this to the Blessed One -
"We are, Master Gotama, brahmins by name. We give gifts, we perform faith offerings - 'May this gift be beneficial to the departed relatives and blood-relations, may the departed relatives and blood-relations consume this gift.' Does that gift, Master Gotama, benefit the departed relatives and blood-relations; do those departed relatives and blood-relations consume that gift?" "In a suitable state, brahmin, it benefits, not in an unsuitable state."
"But what, Master Gotama, is the suitable state, what is the unsuitable state?" "Here, brahmin, a certain one is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, holds wrong view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in hell. Whatever is the food of beings in hell, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there. This too, brahmin, is an unsuitable state where, for one established there, that gift does not benefit.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one is one who kills living beings, etc. he holds wrong view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the animal realm. Whatever is the food of beings in the animal realm, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there. This too, brahmin, is an unsuitable state where, for one established there, that gift does not benefit.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is non-covetous, has a mind without ill-will, holds right view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of human beings. Whatever is the food of human beings, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there. This too, brahmin, is an unsuitable state where, for one established there, that gift does not benefit.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one abstains from killing living beings, etc. he holds right view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the gods. Whatever is the food of the gods, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there. This too, brahmin, is an unsuitable state where, for one established there, that gift benefits.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one is one who kills living beings, etc. he holds wrong view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the sphere of ghosts. Whatever is the food of beings in the sphere of ghosts, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there; or whatever friends and colleagues or relatives and blood-relations give from here, by that he sustains himself there, by that he remains there. This, brahmin, is the state where for one standing there that gift is beneficial."
"But if, Master Gotama, that ghost who is a relative or blood-relation has not arisen in that state, who consumes that gift?" "Other ghosts who are relatives and blood-relations have arisen in that state, brahmin; they consume that gift."
"But if, Master Gotama, that ghost who is a relative or blood-relation has not arisen in that state, and other ghosts who are relatives and blood-relations have not arisen in that state, who consumes that gift?" "This is impossible, brahmin, there is no chance that that state would be empty during this long period of time, that is to say, of ghosts who are relatives and blood-relations. But, brahmin, the donor too is not without fruit."
"Does Master Gotama speak of a supposition even for the impossible?" "I do speak of a supposition even for the impossible, brahmin. Here, brahmin, a certain one is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, holds wrong view; he is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of elephants. There he is an obtainer of food, drink, garlands, and various ornaments.
"That, brahmin, here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, holds wrong view - because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in the company of elephants. And that he is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting - because of that, there he is an obtainer of food, drink, garlands, and various ornaments.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one is one who kills living beings, etc. he holds wrong view. He is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of horses, etc. is reborn in the company of cattle, etc. is reborn in the company of dogs. There he is an obtainer of food, drink, garlands, and various ornaments.
"That, brahmin, here one who kills living beings, etc. holds wrong view - because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in the company of dogs. And that he is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting - because of that, there he is an obtainer of food, drink, garlands, and various ornaments.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one abstains from killing living beings, etc. he holds right view. He is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of human beings. There he is an obtainer of the five human types of sensual pleasure.
"That, brahmin, here one abstains from killing living beings, etc. holds right view, because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in the company of human beings. And that he is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting, because of that he there is an obtainer of the five human types of sensual pleasure.
"Here again, brahmin, a certain one abstains from killing living beings, etc. he holds right view. He is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the gods. He there is an obtainer of the five kinds of celestial sensual pleasure.
"That, brahmin, here one abstains from killing living beings, etc. holds right view, because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in the company of the gods. And that he is a giver to an ascetic or a brahmin of food, drink, cloth, vehicle, garlands, scents, cosmetics, sleeping place, public rest-house, and material for lighting, because of that he there is an obtainer of the five kinds of celestial sensual pleasure. But, brahmin, the donor too is not without fruit."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! How fitting it is, Master Gotama, to give gifts, fitting to make acts of faith, since indeed the donor too is not without fruit." "So it is, brahmin, for the donor too, brahmin, is not without fruit."
"Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent, Master Gotama! Etc. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The eleventh.