[73] "Householder, for a long time now your family has been like a well-spring of support (opāṇabhūtaṃ) for the Nigaṇṭhas; therefore you should consider that almsfood is to be given to them when they approach."
"Venerable sir, by this too I am pleased and gratified with the Blessed One all the more, in that the Blessed One says to me thus: 'Householder, for a long time now your family has been like a well-spring of support for the Nigaṇṭhas; therefore you should consider that almsfood is to be given to them when they approach.' Venerable sir, I have heard this: 'The ascetic Gotama says thus: "Gifts (dāna) should be given only to me, not to others; gifts should be given only to my disciples, not to the disciples of others; only what is given to me is of great fruit, not what is given to others; only what is given to my disciples is of great fruit, not what is given to the disciples of others."' Yet the Blessed One encourages me to give even to the Nigaṇṭhas. However, venerable sir, we shall know the proper time for that. Venerable sir, for the third time I go to the Blessed One for refuge, and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life, from this day forth."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.