[497] Then Vacchagotta the wanderer approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Vacchagotta the wanderer said this to the Blessed One: "I have heard it said, Master Gotama, that the ascetic Gotama speaks thus: 'Gifts should be given to me alone, not to others; gifts should be given to my disciples alone, not to the disciples of others; what is given to me alone is of great fruit, not what is given to others; what is given to my disciples alone is of great fruit, not what is given to the disciples of others.' Master Gotama, do those who say that the ascetic Gotama speaks thus — 'Gifts should be given to me alone, not to others; gifts should be given to my disciples alone, not to the disciples of others; what is given to me alone is of great fruit, not what is given to others; what is given to my disciples alone is of great fruit, not what is given to the disciples of others' — do they speak in accordance with what Master Gotama has said, and not misrepresent Master Gotama with what is untrue? Do they explain in accordance with the Dhamma, so that no legitimate consequence of their assertion incurs a ground for censure? For we do not wish to misrepresent Master Gotama."
"Vaccha, those who say that the ascetic Gotama speaks thus: 'Gifts should be given to me alone … not what is given to the disciples of others is of great fruit' — they do not speak in accordance with what I have said; indeed, they misrepresent me with what is untrue and contrary to fact. Vaccha, whoever prevents another from giving a gift creates an obstruction to three things, is a waylayer of three things. Of what three? He creates an obstruction to the donor's merit; he creates an obstruction to the recipients' gain; and even beforehand his own self is dug up and injured. Vaccha, whoever prevents another from giving a gift creates an obstruction to these three things, is a waylayer of these three things.
"But I, Vaccha, say this: even for the creatures in a refuse pool or a cesspit — if someone there throws out the water from washing a pot or the water from washing a dish, thinking, 'May the creatures there sustain themselves on this' — even from that source, Vaccha, I declare there is an accrual of merit; how much more, then, in the case of a human being! Moreover, Vaccha, I say that what is given to one who is virtuous is of great fruit, not so what is given to one who is immoral. And that virtuous one is one who has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five factors. What five factors has he abandoned? Sensual desire (kāmacchanda) has been abandoned; ill will (byāpāda) has been abandoned; dullness and drowsiness (thīna-middha) have been abandoned; restlessness and remorse (uddhacca-kukkucca) have been abandoned; doubt (vicikicchā) has been abandoned. These five factors have been abandoned. With what five factors is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate (khandha) of virtue of one beyond training (asekha); he is endowed with the aggregate of concentration (samādhi) 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 the knowledge and vision of liberation of one beyond training. With these five factors he is endowed. Thus I say that what is given to one who has abandoned the five factors and is endowed with the five factors is of great fruit."
Thus, whether among cattle black or white,
red or tawny,
dappled, of uniform hue,
or dove-colored —
among whichever of these there is born
a tamed bull,
a bearer of the load, endowed with strength,
of goodly speed and pace,
him alone they yoke to the burden;
they do not scrutinize his color.
Even so among human beings,
in whatsoever kind of birth —
among khattiyas, brahmins, vessas,
suddas, caṇḍālas, or scavengers —
among whichever of these there is born
one tamed, of good conduct,
established in Dhamma, accomplished in virtue,
a speaker of truth, with a mind of conscience,
who has abandoned birth (jāti) and death (maraṇa),
consummate in the holy life,
his burden laid down, detached,
his task done, free of taints (āsava),
gone beyond all dhammas,
quenched through not clinging —
in that stainless field indeed
the offering is abundant.
But fools, not understanding,
witless, unlearned,
give their gifts outside
and do not attend upon the good.
But those who attend upon the good —
the wise, esteemed as sages —
whose faith in the Sublime One
has taken root and stands established,
they go to the world of the devas,
or are born here in a good family;
by gradual stages the wise
attain Nibbāna.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.