57. To Whom Should Gifts Be Given?

AN 3:57 To Whom Should Gifts Be Given

Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

Once Vacchagotta the wanderer approached the Blessed One and said to him:

“I have heard it said, Master Gotama, that the ascetic Gotama says: ’Gifts should be given only to me and not to others; they should be given only to my disciples and not to the disciples of others. Only what is given to me brings great fruit, not what is given to others; only what is given to my disciples brings great fruit, not what is given to the disciples of others.’ Now, Master Gotama, do those who say so report Master Gotama’s actual words and not misrepresent him? Do they declare this in accordance with your teachings and will their assertion give no grounds for reproach? We certainly do not wish to misrepresent Master Gotama.”

“Those who have said so, Vaccha, have not reported my words correctly, but misrepresent me. Their declarations do not accord with my teachings and their false assertion will certainly give cause for reproach.

“Vaccha, anyone who prevents another person from giving alms causes obstruction and impediment to three people: he obstructs the donor from doing a meritorious deed, he obstructs the recipient from getting the gift, and prior to that, he undermines and harms his own character. What I actually teach, Vaccha, is this: even if one throws away the rinsings from a pot or cup into a village pool or pond, wishing that the living beings there may feed on them—even this would be a source of merit, not to speak of giving a gift to human beings.

“However, I do declare that offerings made to the virtuous bring rich fruit, and not so much those made to the immoral. The virtuous one has abandoned five qualities and possesses another five qualities. What are the five qualities he has abandoned? Sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt: these are the five qualities he has abandoned. And what are the five qualities he possesses? He possesses the virtue, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation of one perfect in training. These are the five qualities he possesses.

“What is given to one who has abandoned those five qualities and who possesses these five qualities—this, I declare, brings rich fruit.”