Recipient and the Fruit of Such Gift

Here, Ānanda, by giving a gift to an animal, the offering may be predicted to repay a hundredfold.

By giving a gift to an unwholesome ordinary person, the offering may be predicted to repay a thousandfold.

By giving a gift to a virtuous (practicing moral conduct) ordinary person, the offering may be predicted to repay a hundred‑thousandfold.

By giving a gift to one outside [The Community] who is free from craving for sensual pleasures, the offering may be predicted to repay a hundred‑thousand times a hundred‑thousandfold.

By giving a gift to one who has entered upon the way to the realization of the fruit of stream‑entry, the offering may be predicted to repay incalculably, immeasurably.

What, then, should be said about giving a gift to a Stream‑Enterer? What should be said about giving a gift to one who has entered upon the way to the realization of the fruit of Once‑Returner … to a Once‑Returner … to one who has entered upon the way to the realization of the fruit of Non‑Returner … to a Non‑Returner … to one who has entered upon the way to the realization of the fruit of Arahantship … to an Arahant … to a Paccekabuddha? What should be said about giving a gift to a Tathāgata, accomplished and Fully Perfectly Enlightened?

There are seven kinds of offerings made to The Community, Ānanda.

One gives a gift to a Community of both [male and female Ordained Practitioners] headed by The Buddha; this is the first kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift to The Community of both [male and female Ordained Practitioners] after The Tathāgata has attained Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment); this is the second kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift to The Community of Male Ordained Practitioners; this is the third kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift to The Community of Female Ordained Practitioners; this is the fourth kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift, saying: Appoint so many male and female Ordained Practitioners for me from The Community; this is the fifth kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift, saying: Appoint so many male Ordained Practitioners for me from The Community; this is the sixth kind of offering made to The Community.

One gives a gift, saying: Appoint so many female Ordained Practitioners for me from The Community; this is the seventh kind of offering made to The Community.

In future times, Ānanda, there will be members of the clan who are ‘yellow‑necks’, immoral, of unwholesome character. People will give gifts to those unwholesome persons for the sake of The Community.

Even then, I say, an offering made to The Community is incalculable, immeasurable. And I say that in no way is a gift to a person individually ever more fruitful than an offering made to The Community.

There are, Ānanda, four kinds of purification of offering.

What four?

There is the offering that is purified by the donor, not by the recipient.

There is the offering that is purified by the recipient, not by the donor.

There is the offering that is purified neither by the donor nor by the recipient.

There is the offering that is purified both by the donor and by the recipient.

And how is the offering purified by the donor, not by the recipient?

Here the donor is virtuous (practicing moral conduct), of wholesome character, and the recipient is immoral, of unwholesome character.

Thus the offering is purified by the donor, not by the recipient.

And how is the offering purified by the recipient, not by the donor?

Here the donor is immoral, of unwholesome character, and the recipient is virtuous, of wholesome character.

Thus the offering is purified by the recipient, not by the donor.

And how is the offering purified neither by the donor nor by the recipient?

Here the donor is immoral, of unwholesome character, and the recipient is immoral, of unwholesome character.

Thus the offering is purified neither by the donor nor by the recipient.

And how is the offering purified both by the donor and by the recipient?

Here the donor is virtuous, of wholesome character, and the recipient is virtuous, of wholesome character.

Thus the offering is purified both by the donor and by the recipient.

These are the four kinds of purification of offering.

That is what The Perfectly Enlightened One said. When The Fortunate One had said that, The Teacher said further:

When a virtuous person to an unwholesome person gives

With trusting heart, a gift righteously obtained,

Placing confidence that the fruit of action is great,

The donor’s virtue purifies the offering.

When an unwholesome person to a virtuous person gives

With untrusting heart, a gift unrighteously obtained,

Nor places confidence that the fruit of action is great,

The recipient’s virtue purifies the offering.

When an unwholesome person to an unwholesome person gives

With untrusting heart, a gift unrighteously obtained,

Nor places confidence that the fruit of action is great,

Neither’s virtue purifies the offering.

When a virtuous person to a virtuous person gives

With trusting heart, a gift righteously obtained,

Placing confidence that the fruit of action is great,

That gift, I say, will come to full fruition.

When a passionless person to a passionless person gives

With trusting heart, a gift righteously obtained,

Placing confidence that the fruit of action is great,

That gift, I say, is the best of worldly gifts.

(Reference: MN 142)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a gift increase in benefit as the being who is the recipient has increasing amounts of virtuous moral conduct and wholesome character. He describes how an offering is purified.

Starting with an animal and progressing to an actual Buddha, Gotama Buddha provides guidance to help Students understand that the benefits one experiences increases.

Making an offering to an animal would help a Practitioner to eliminate craving/desire/attachment, but there is no ability to learn The Teachings from an animal. The Buddha then progress through multiple beings such as an unwholesome person, one practicing virtuous moral conduct, one outside of The Community of Practitioners who is free from craving for sensual pleasures, a Stream-Enterer, a Once-Returner, a Non-Returner, an Arahant, a Paccekabuddha, a Fully Perfectly Enlightened Buddha.

To attain Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need a well developed practice of generosity. Without a practice of generosity, one would not be able to attain Enlightenment because the mind will continue to have craving/desire/attachment holding on to resources and being unwilling to share. The mind will continue to be selfish, therefore, it cannot experience Enlightenment.

As a Practitioner develops their practice of generosity, The Buddha suggests that one do so with discernment (i.e. wise decision making).

It would be unwise and not practicing the middle way, if one was to attempt to practice generosity without discernment.

The Buddha provides guidance of how offerings are beneficial for your practice.

The ideal situation would be that the individual you make an offering to is practicing wholesome moral conduct and that you are practicing wholesome moral conduct. This ensures the offering is purified by both the donor and recipient. This would include making offerings to Practitioners who are Stream-Enterers, Once-Returners, Non-Returners, and Arahants. Should you live during the lifetime of a Buddha, it is highly beneficial to make an offering to a Buddha.

The reason gifts to these individuals is beneficial is that it brings you in close contact with Practitioners who are practicing The Teachings closely so that you can gain insight and wisdom about The Teachings to implement into your own life practice. Through you making offerings to Practitioners who are in one of The Four Stages of Enlightenment, you are able to build a relationship, observe their practice, and ask them questions to help you learn, all to improve your life practice.

There is nothing mystical or magical about making offerings to these individuals, but instead, by making offerings to them you will be in close proximity, such that, you will be able to learn The Teachings to benefit your own life.

The Buddha shares other variations helping you see the options of how giving can be of benefit or not.

An offering can be purified by just the donor or recipient if either of them are practicing virtuous moral conduct and are of a wholesome character. If the donor or recipient are immoral and of unwholesome character, the offering is not purified by them but instead, is purified by the one who is practicing virtuous moral conduct and are of a wholesome character.

If the donor and recipient are immoral and of unwholesome character, the offering is not purified at all.

The Buddha describes that an offering made by a donor and received by a recipient who are both practicing virtuous moral conduct and are of a wholesome character, both the donor and recipient fully purify the offering.

Detailed explanation of practicing generosity is available in this same book series found in the book “Generosity” (Volume 13).