4.
The Discourse on Sīha the General
57.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall.
Then the general Sīha approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the general Sīha said this to the Blessed One -
"Is it possible, venerable sir, to declare a fruit of giving visible here and now?"
"Well then, Sīha, I will ask you a question about this very matter. As it pleases you, so you should answer it. What do you think, Sīha, here there are two men - one man is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive; one man has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving. What do you think, Sīha, whom would the Worthy Ones first have compassion for, showing compassion - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?"
"That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - why would the Worthy Ones first have compassion for him! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving - him indeed the Worthy Ones would first have compassion for, showing compassion."
"What do you think, Sīha, whom would the Worthy Ones first approach, approaching - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - why would the Worthy Ones first approach him! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving - him indeed the Worthy Ones would first approach, approaching."
"What do you think, Sīha, from whom would the Worthy Ones first accept, accepting - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - why would the Worthy Ones first accept from him! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving - from him indeed the Worthy Ones would first accept, accepting."
"What do you think, Sīha, to whom would the Worthy Ones first expound the Teaching, teaching - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - why would the Worthy Ones first expound the Teaching to him! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving - to him indeed the Worthy Ones would first expound the Teaching, teaching."
"What do you think, Sīha, for whom would a good reputation arise - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - why would a good reputation arise for him! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving - for him indeed a good reputation would arise."
"What do you think, Sīha, who would approach whatever assembly - whether an assembly of warriors, whether an assembly of brahmins, whether an assembly of householders, whether an assembly of ascetics - would approach confident, unabashed - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - how would he approach whatever assembly, whether an assembly of warriors, whether an assembly of brahmins, whether an assembly of householders, whether an assembly of ascetics - approach confident, unabashed! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, a master of giving, delighting in giving again and again - he would approach whatever assembly, whether an assembly of warriors, whether an assembly of brahmins, whether an assembly of householders, whether an assembly of ascetics - would approach confident, unabashed."
"What do you think, Sīha, who would, upon the body's collapse at death, be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that man who has faith, is a master of giving, delighting in continuous giving?" "That man, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive - how would he, upon the body's collapse at death, be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world! But that man, venerable sir, who has faith, a master of giving, delighting in giving again and again - he, upon the body's collapse at death, would be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world."
"These fruits of giving visible here and now, venerable sir, that have been declared by the Blessed One, I do not go by faith in the Blessed One in this matter. I too know these. I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; Worthy Ones first have compassion for me when having compassion. I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; Worthy Ones first approach me when approaching. I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; Worthy Ones first accept from me when accepting. I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; Worthy Ones first expound the Teaching to me when teaching. I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; a good reputation has arisen for me - 'The general Sīha is a donor, a doer, an attendant of the Community.' I, venerable sir, am a donor, a master of giving; whatever assembly I approach, whether an assembly of warriors, etc. whether an assembly of ascetics - I approach confident, unabashed. These fruits of giving visible here and now, venerable sir, that have been declared by the Blessed One, I do not go by faith in the Blessed One in this matter. I too know these. But that which the Blessed One says to me, venerable sir - 'A donor, Sīha, a master of giving, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.' This I do not know; but in this matter I go by faith in the Blessed One." "So it is, Sīha; so it is, Sīha! A donor, Sīha, a master of giving, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world." The fourth.