Why Is One Gift Not of Great Fruit and Benefit While the Other Is?

‘Venerable Sir, why is it that one gift is not of great fruit and benefit while the other is?’

Here, Sāriputta, someone gives a gift with expectations, with a bound mind, looking for rewards; he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Having passed away, I will make use of this.’ He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings [ruled by] The Four Great Kings. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

But, Sāriputta, someone does not give a gift with expectations, with a bound mind, looking for rewards; he does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Having passed away, I will make use of this’. Rather, he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving is good’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa heavenly beings. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving is good’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving was practiced before by my father and forefathers; I should not abandon this ancient family custom’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Yāma heavenly beings. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving was practiced before by my father and forefathers; I should not abandon this ancient family custom’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘I cook; these people do not cook. It isn’t right that I who cook should not give to those who do not cook’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Tusita heavenly beings. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘I cook; these people do not cook. It isn’t right that I who cook should not give to those who do not cook’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Just as he sees of the elders — that is, Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmaheavenly being, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu — held those great sacrifices, so I will share a gift’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings who excite in creation. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Just as he sees of the elders — that is, Aṭṭhaka … and Bhagu — held those great sacrifices, so I will share a gift’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘When I am giving a gift, my mind becomes tranquil (calm), and energy and joy arise’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings who control what is created by others. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he comes back and returns to this state of being.

He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘When I am giving a gift, my mind becomes tranquil (calm), and energy and joy arise’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘It’s an enhancement of the mind, an accessory of the mind’. He gives that gift to an Ascetic or a Brāhmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and ointments; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Having given such a gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings of Brahmā’s (God’s) company. Having exhausted that Kamma, psychic potency, glory, and authority, he does not come back and return to this state of being.

This, Sāriputta, is the reason why a gift given by someone here is not of great fruit and benefit. And this is the reason why a gift given by someone here is of great fruit and benefit.

(Reference: AN 7.52)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a gift that is given is either of great fruit and benefit or not.

The Buddha explains that giving a gift with expectations, with a bound mind, looking for rewards, thinking that one will make use of that gift in the future, that gift is not of great benefit. A gift given in these circumstances means a Practitioner still has craving/desire/attachment, thus, the gift is not of great benefit.

The Buddha further explains additional criteria of giving that hinders one from experiencing the best results from practicing generosity.

• Someone does not give a gift with expectations, with a bound mind, looking for rewards; he does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Having passed away, I will make use of this’. Rather, he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving is good’.

• He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving is good’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving was practiced before by my father and forefathers; I should not abandon this ancient family custom’.

• He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Giving was practiced before by my father and forefathers; I should not abandon this ancient family custom’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘I cook; these people do not cook. It isn’t right that I who cook should not give to those who do not cook’.

• He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘I cook; these people do not cook. It isn’t right that I who cook should not give to those who do not cook’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘Just as he sees of the elders — that is, Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmaheavenly being, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu — held those great sacrifices, so I will share a gift’.

• He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘Just as he sees of the elders — that is, Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmaheavenly being, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu — held those great sacrifices, so I will share a gift’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘When I am giving a gift my mind becomes tranquil (calm), and energy and joy arise’.

• He does not give a gift, [thinking]: ‘When I am giving a gift my mind becomes tranquil, and energy and joy arise’, but rather he gives a gift, [thinking]: ‘It’s an enhancement of the mind, an accessory of the mind’.

Sometimes a Practitioner gives without fully understanding these Teachings, and while not a “great benefit” there is some benefit. There are situations where in order to start practicing generosity, one needs to give and start breaking down the wall of reluctancy to give. While it would be of a much greater benefit to give without any expectation of anything in return, that may be something that a Practitioner needs to gradually develop and might choose to start giving as a way to cultivate a mind that does give without any expectations.

The Buddha explains that someone who gives with expectations, with a bound mind, looking for rewards, thinking that one will make use of that gift in the future will ultimately be reborn because there is still craving/desire/attachment in the mind. Craving is the fuel that causes rebirth. If there is craving at the time of death, there will be rebirth. If there is birth, there will be sickness, aging, and death. Discontentedness will continue.

Finally, The Buddha provides guidance that helps a Practitioner understand the true goal and objective of sharing a gift through the practicing of generosity. The objective is to train the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment (i.e. enhancement of the mind, an accessory of the mind).

In other words, a Practitioner should give a gift without expectations or for any of the other reasons previously shared. Instead, a Practitioner should practice generosity because they know it allows them to eliminate selfishness to cultivate the mind eliminating craving/desire/attachment. This enhances one’s life practice by improving the condition of the mind bringing it closer to Enlightenment.

A Practitioner would be unable to attain Enlightenment with selfishness residing in the mind as there would still be craving/desire/attachment leading to discontentedness and rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth.

The primary determination of whether a gift provides benefit for the Practitioner is based on whether one gives with or without expectations.

The practice of generosity helps a Practitioner to eliminate craving/desire/attachment, the cause of discontentedness. Through a well developed practice of generosity, a Practitioner can eliminate selfishness from the mind.

If one practices generosity with the expectation of receiving something in return for their offering, then a Practitioner is only giving because they want something in return. This approach to practicing generosity would not eliminate craving/desire/attachment nor selfishness. Instead, the mind is only giving because it wants something in return and, therefore, the benefit of providing an offering through practicing generosity is not experienced.

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