10.
The Discourse on Velāma
20.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
To the householder Anāthapiṇḍika seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Is giving given in your family, householder?" "Giving is given in my family, venerable sir; and that is coarse, porridge of broken rice with vinegar as a second." "Whether, householder, one gives a coarse gift or a superior one; and one gives it inattentively, one gives it without respect, one gives it not with one's own hand, one gives it as if throwing it away, one gives it without view of future result. Wherever the result of that gift arises, his mind does not incline to excellent enjoyment of food, his mind does not incline to excellent enjoyment of clothing, his mind does not incline to excellent enjoyment of vehicles, his mind does not incline to the enjoyment of the five excellent types of sensual pleasure. And those who are his sons or wives or slaves or servants or labourers, they too do not listen, do not lend an ear, do not apply their minds to final knowledge. What is the reason for this? For this, householder, is the result of actions done inattentively."
"Whether, householder, one gives a coarse gift or a superior one; and one gives it attentively, one gives it with respect, one gives it with one's own hand, one gives it not as if throwing it away, one gives it with view of future result. Wherever the result of that gift arises, his mind inclines to excellent enjoyment of food, his mind inclines to excellent enjoyment of clothing, his mind inclines to excellent enjoyment of vehicles, his mind inclines to the enjoyment of the five excellent types of sensual pleasure. And those who are his sons or wives or slaves or servants or labourers, they too listen, lend an ear, and apply their minds to final knowledge. What is the reason for this? For this, householder, is the result of actions done attentively.
"Once in the past, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave such a gift, a great 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 bullion, he gave eighty-four thousand elephants with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with golden netting, he gave eighty-four thousand chariots draped with lion hides, draped with tiger hides, draped with panther hides, draped with pale-yellow woollen blankets, with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with golden netting, he gave eighty-four thousand cows with fine cloth tethers, with bronze milk pails, he gave eighty-four thousand maidens adorned with jewelled earrings, he gave eighty-four thousand divans spread with long-fleeced woollen covers, spread with white woollen covers, spread with woollen coverlets embroidered with flowers, with excellent spreads of kadali deer hide, with canopies above, with red pillows at both ends, he gave eighty-four thousand ten million garments of fine linen, fine silk, fine wool, fine cotton - what need to speak of food, drink, hard food, soft food, lickable food, drinkable food? They flowed like rivers, I think.
"Now, householder, you might think thus - 'Surely another was the brahmin Velāma at that time, he gave that gift, that great gift.' But that, householder, should not be seen thus. I was the brahmin Velāma at that time. I gave that gift, that great gift. But in that gift, householder, there was no one worthy of offerings, no one purified that offering.
"Whatever, householder, the brahmin Velāma gave as a gift, as a great gift, if one were to feed a single person accomplished in right view, this would have more great results than that.
"And whoever would feed a hundred accomplished in right view, and whoever would feed one once-returner, this has more great results than that.
"And whoever would feed a hundred once-returners, and whoever would feed one non-returner... etc. and whoever would feed a hundred non-returners, and whoever would feed one Worthy One... and whoever would feed a hundred Worthy Ones, and whoever would feed one Individually Enlightened One... and whoever would feed a hundred Individually Enlightened Ones, and whoever would feed the Truth-finder, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One... and whoever would feed the Community of monks headed by the Buddha... and whoever would have a dwelling built for the Community of the four directions... and whoever with a gladdened mind would go for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community... and whoever with a gladdened mind would take upon oneself the training rules - abstention from killing living beings, abstention from taking what is not given, abstention from sexual misconduct, abstention from lying, abstention from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, and whoever would develop a mind of friendliness even for as long as the sniffing of a scent, this has more great results than that.
"And whatever, householder, the brahmin Velāma gave as a gift, a great gift, and whoever would feed one accomplished in right view... and whoever would feed a hundred accomplished in right view, and whoever would feed one once-returner... and whoever would feed a hundred once-returners, and whoever would feed one non-returner... and whoever would feed a hundred non-returners, and whoever would feed one Worthy One... and whoever would feed a hundred Worthy Ones, and whoever would feed one Individually Enlightened One... and whoever would feed a hundred Individually Enlightened Ones, and whoever would feed the Truth-finder, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One... and whoever would feed the Community of monks headed by the Buddha, and whoever would have a dwelling built for the Community of the four directions... and whoever with a gladdened mind would go for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community, and whoever with a gladdened mind would take upon oneself the training rules - abstention from killing living beings... abstention from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, and whoever would develop a mind of friendliness even for as long as the sniffing of a scent, and whoever would develop the perception of impermanence even for a mere finger-snap, this has more great results than that." The tenth.