[224] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. As the householder Anāthapiṇḍika sat to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Are gifts given in your family, householder?"
"Gifts are given in my family, venerable sir, but they are coarse — broken rice with sour gruel as its accompaniment."
"Householder, whether one gives a gift that is coarse or excellent, if one gives it without respect, gives it without showing reverence, gives it not with one's own hand, gives it as something to be discarded, gives it without the view of a result to come — then wherever the result of that gift comes to fruition, one's mind (citta) does not incline to the enjoyment of fine food, one's mind does not incline to the enjoyment of fine clothing, one's mind does not incline to the enjoyment of fine vehicles, one's mind does not incline to the enjoyment of the fine five cords of sensual pleasure; and those who are one's sons, or wives, or slaves, or messengers, or workers do not wish to listen, do not lend an ear, do not apply their minds to understand. For what reason? Because such, householder, is the result of deeds done without respect.
"Householder, whether one gives a gift that is coarse or excellent, if one gives it with respect, gives it showing reverence, gives it with one's own hand, gives it not as something to be discarded, gives it with the view of a result to come — then wherever the result of that gift comes to fruition, one's mind inclines to the enjoyment of fine food, one's mind inclines to the enjoyment of fine clothing, one's mind inclines to the enjoyment of fine vehicles, one's mind inclines to the enjoyment of the fine five cords of sensual pleasure; and those who are one's sons, or wives, or slaves, or messengers, or workers wish to listen, lend an ear, and apply their minds to understand. For what reason? Because such, householder, is the result of deeds done with respect.
"Once in the past, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave such a gift as this, 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 (hirañña); he gave eighty-four thousand elephants with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold; he gave eighty-four thousand chariots upholstered with lion hides, tiger hides, leopard hides, and pale orange blankets, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold; he gave eighty-four thousand milch cows with tethers of fine cloth and with bronze milking-pails; he gave eighty-four thousand maidens adorned with jeweled earrings; he gave eighty-four thousand couches spread with long-fleeced covers, spread with white wool covers, spread with embroidered coverlets, with choice spreads of kadali-deer hide, with canopies above and red bolsters at both ends; he gave eighty-four thousand koṭis of cloths — of fine linen, of fine silk, of fine cotton. And what should be said of the food, the drink, the snacks, the meals, the unguents, and the bedding? They flowed, methinks, like rivers.
"Now, householder, you might think: 'Surely it was someone else who at that time was the brahmin Velāma, who gave that gift, that great gift.' But it should not be seen thus, householder. I myself 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 (dakkhiṇeyya); no one purified that offering.
"Householder, than the gift, the great gift, that the brahmin Velāma gave — if one should feed a single person accomplished in view, this would be more fruitful than that. And than one who should feed a hundred persons accomplished in view, one who should feed a single once-returner (sakadāgāmī) … ; and than one who should feed a hundred once-returners, one who should feed a single non-returner (anāgāmī); and than one who should feed a hundred non-returners, one who should feed a single arahant; and than one who should feed a hundred arahants, one who should feed a single paccekabuddha; and than one who should feed a hundred paccekabuddhas, one who should feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One; and one who should feed the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha; and one who should have a dwelling built dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters; and one who with a confident mind should go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; and one who with a confident mind should undertake the training rules — abstention from the destruction of life, abstention from taking what is not given, abstention from sexual misconduct, abstention from false speech, abstention from intoxicants causing heedlessness; and one who should develop a mind of loving-kindness even for so long as a single pull at a cow's udder — this would be more fruitful than that.
"And, householder, than the gift, the great gift, that the brahmin Velāma gave — one who should feed a single person accomplished in view; and one who should feed a hundred persons accomplished in view; and one who should feed a single once-returner; and one who should feed a hundred once-returners; and one who should feed a single non-returner; and one who should feed a hundred non-returners; and one who should feed a single arahant; and one who should feed a hundred arahants; and one who should feed a single paccekabuddha; and one who should feed a hundred paccekabuddhas; and one who should feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One; and one who should feed the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha; and one who should have a dwelling built dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters; and one who with a confident mind should go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; and one who with a confident mind should undertake the training rules — abstention from the destruction of life … abstention from intoxicants causing heedlessness; and one who should develop a mind of loving-kindness even for so long as a single pull at a cow's udder; and one who should develop the perception of impermanence even for so long as a finger-snap — this would be more fruitful than that."
The Second Chapter: The Lion's Roar (Sīhanādavagga).
Its summary (uddāna):
Vuttho, Sa-upādisesa, with Koṭṭhita, with Samiddhi,
Gaṇḍa, Saññā, Kule, Sattā, Devatā, and with Velāma.
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The Third Chapter: Abodes of Beings (Sattāvāsavagga)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.