iti.26 Itivuttaka

Giving

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, if beings knew, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would they allow the stain of meanness to obsess them and take root in their minds. Even if it were their last morsel, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared it, if there were someone to share it with. But, bhikkhus, as beings do not know, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they eat without having given, and the stain of meanness obsesses them and takes root in their minds.”

If beings only knew—
So said the Great Sage—
How the result of sharing
Is of such great fruit,
With a gladdened mind,
Rid of the stain of meanness,
They would duly give to noble ones
Who make what is given fruitful.

Having given much food as offerings
To those most worthy of offerings,
The donors go to heaven
On departing the human state.
Having gone to heaven they rejoice,
And enjoying pleasures there,
The unselfish experience the result
Of generously sharing with others.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Giving

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, if sentient beings only knew, as I do, the fruit of giving and sharing, they would not eat without first giving, and the stain of stinginess would not occupy their minds.
They would not eat without sharing even their last mouthful, their last morsel, so long as there was someone to receive it.
It is because sentient beings do not know, as I do, the fruit of giving and sharing, that they eat without first giving, and the stain of stinginess occupies their minds.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“If sentient beings only knew
how great is the fruit
of giving and sharing
as taught by the great hermit!
Rid of the stain of stinginess,
with clear and confident heart,
they would duly give to the noble ones,
where a gift is very fruitful.
Having given food in abundance
to those worthy of a religious donation,
after passing from the human realm,
the givers go to heaven.
And when they have arrived there in heaven,
they enjoy all the pleasures they desire.
The generous enjoy the
fruit of giving and sharing.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.