1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One asked him:

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Are alms given in your family, householder?"

2"Api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī"ti?

"Alms are given in my family, Bhante, but they consist of broken rice accompanied by rice gruel."[n.1876] Mp: "The Blessed One does not ask this with reference to alms given to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. For in Anāthapiṇḍika's home excellent almsfood was constantly given to the bhikkhus. But the alms being given to the multitude was coarse, which did not please Anāthapiṇḍika. So the Buddha asks with that intention." Mp's explanation sounds contrived, for the expressions the Buddha uses in his response suggest that alms to renunciants were intended. It is possible this sutta was spoken at a time when Anāthapiṇḍika's finances were low. Alternatively, given its legendary character, the sutta may be in part a literary fiction composed for a didactic purpose. A Chinese parallel, MĀ 155, has virtually the same exchange as the Pāli at T I 677a12–13. In another Chinese parallel, EĀ 27.3, Anāthapiṇḍika says (at T II 644b22): "My poor family always practices giving, but the food is coarse and we don’t always give the same" ().

"Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ; tañca kho lūkhaṁ kaṇājakaṁ biḷaṅgadutiyan"ti.

"If, householder, one gives alms, coarse or excellent, and one gives disrespectfully, gives inconsiderately, does not give with one's own hand, gives what would be discarded, gives without a view of future consequences,[n.1877] These are the five ways a bad person gives a gift, as stated at AN5.147. Just below the text will mention the five ways a good person gives a gift, also at AN5.147. then wherever the result of that gift is produced for one, one's mind does not incline toward the enjoyment of superb food, nor toward the enjoyment of superb clothing, nor toward the enjoyment of superb vehicles, nor toward the enjoyment of whatever is superb among the five objects of sensual pleasure. Also, one's children and wives, and one's slaves, servants, and workers, do not want to listen to one, do not lend an ear, and do not apply their minds to understand. For what reason? Just this is the result of actions that are done disrespectfully.

"Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā; tañca asakkaccaṁ deti, acittīkatvā deti, asahatthā deti, apaviddhaṁ deti, anāgamanadiṭṭhiko deti. Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, na uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati. Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi na sussūsanti na sotaṁ odahanti na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti asakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.

3"If, householder, one gives alms, whether coarse or excellent, and one gives respectfully, gives considerately, gives with one's own hand, gives what would not be discarded, gives with a view of future consequences, then wherever the result of that gift is produced for one, one's mind inclines toward the enjoyment of superb food, toward the enjoyment of superb clothing, toward the enjoyment of superb vehicles, toward the enjoyment of whatever is superb among the five objects of sensual pleasure. Also, one's children and wives, and one's slaves, servants, and workers, want to listen to one, lend an ear, and apply their minds to understand. For what reason? Just this is the result of actions that are done respectfully.

3Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā; tañca sakkaccaṁ deti, cittīkatvā deti, sahatthā deti, anapaviddhaṁ deti, āgamanadiṭṭhiko deti. Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati. Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi sussūsanti sotaṁ odahanti aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti sakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.

4"In the past, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave such a great alms offering as this:[n.1878] Presumably it is the nine types of gifts that justify including this sutta in the Nines. There seems to be no other ninefold scheme to explain its place in this nipāta. (1) eighty-four thousand golden bowls filled with silver; (2) eighty-four thousand silver bowls filled with gold; (3) eighty-four thousand bronze bowls filled with bullion; (4) eighty-four thousand elephants with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with nets of gold thread; (5) eighty-four thousand chariots with upholstery of lion skins, tiger skins, leopard skins, and saffron-dyed blankets, with golden ornaments, golden banners, covered with nets of gold thread; (6) eighty-four thousand milk cows with jute tethers[n.1879] Ce sandassanāni; Be sandhanāni; Ee santhanāni. Mp does not provide a gloss and PED does not offer a useful definition under any of those readings. But in PED sandāna is defined as "cord, tether, fetter." and bronze pails;[n.1880] Mp glosses kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni as rajatamayakhīrapaṭicchakāni, "silver receptacles for the milk." I am not aware that kaṁsa can mean silver. DOP sv kaṁsa says that kaṁsūpadhāraṇa can mean "yielding a pailful of milk, or with a metal milking-pail." Mp adds that the horns of the milk cows were covered with sheaths of gold; people tied garlands of jasmine around their necks, attached ornaments to their four feet, spread an excellent jute cloth over their backs, and tied a golden bell around their necks. Such ways of adorning cattle, though less costly, are still practiced in India today. (7) eighty-four thousand maidens adorned with jeweled earrings; (8) eighty-four thousand couches spread with rugs, blankets, and covers, with excellent coverings of antelope hide, with canopies and red bolsters at both ends; (9) eighty-four thousand koṭis[n.1881] Mp says that conventionally one koṭi is twenty pairs of cloth, but here ten garments is meant. of cloths made of fine linen, fine silk, fine wool, and fine cotton. How much more of food and drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages?[n.1882] Annassa pānassa khajjassa bhojjassa leyyassa peyyassa. Leyya, from lihati, to lick, could mean something to be licked, perhaps things like honey, molasses, and palm sugar. It seemed to be flowing like rivers.

4Bhūtapubbaṁ, gahapati, velāmo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi. So evarūpaṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ. Caturāsīti suvaṇṇapātisahassāni adāsi rūpiyapūrāni, caturāsīti rūpiyapātisahassāni adāsi suvaṇṇapūrāni, caturāsīti kaṁsapātisahassāni adāsi hiraññapūrāni, caturāsīti hatthisahassāni adāsi sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti rathasahassāni adāsi sīhacammaparivārāni byagghacammaparivārāni dīpicammaparivārāni paṇḍukambalaparivārāni sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti dhenusahassāni adāsi dukūlasandhanāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni, caturāsīti kaññāsahassāni adāsi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalāyo, caturāsīti pallaṅkasahassāni adāsi gonakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni, caturāsīti vatthakoṭisahassāni adāsi khomasukhumānaṁ koseyyasukhumānaṁ kambalasukhumānaṁ kappāsikasukhumānaṁ, ko pana vādo annassa pānassa khajjassa bhojjassa leyyassa peyyassa, najjo maññe vissandanti.

5"You might think, householder: ‘He was someone else, the brahmin Velāma who on that occasion gave that great alms offering.’ But you should not look at it in such a way. I myself was the brahmin Velāma who on that occasion gave that great alms offering.

5Siyā kho pana te, gahapati, evamassa:  ‘añño nūna tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosi, so taṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānan’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, gahapati, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Ahaṁ tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosiṁ. Ahaṁ taṁ dānaṁ adāsiṁ mahādānaṁ.

"Now, householder, at that alms offering there was no one worthy of offerings, no one who purified the offering.

Tasmiṁ kho pana, gahapati, dāne na koci dakkhiṇeyyo ahosi, na taṁ koci dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti.

6Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave would it be to feed one person accomplished in view.

6Yaṁ, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

7Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding a hundred persons accomplished in view, would it be to feed one once-returner.

7Yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

8Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding a hundred once-returners, would it be to feed one non-returner. Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred non-returners, would it be to feed one arahant. Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred arahants, would it be to feed one paccekabuddha. Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred paccekabuddhas, would it be to feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One … would it be to feed the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha … would it be to build a dwelling dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters … would it be for one with a mind of confidence to go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha … would it be for one with a mind of confidence to undertake the five training rules: to abstain from the destruction of life, to abstain from taking what is not given, to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain from false speech, to abstain from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness. Even more fruitful … would it be to develop a mind of loving-kindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow's udder.

8Yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya … pe … yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya … pe … yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya … pe … yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya – pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiṁ, musāvādā veramaṇiṁ, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

9"Even more fruitful, householder, than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding one person accomplished in view, and feeding a hundred persons accomplished in view; and feeding one once-returner, and feeding a hundred once-returners; and feeding one non-returner, and feeding a hundred non-returners; and feeding one arahant, and feeding a hundred arahants; and feeding one paccekabuddha, and feeding a hundred paccekabuddhas; and feeding the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and feeding the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha; and building a dwelling dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters; and for one with a mind of confidence to go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; and for one with a mind of confidence to undertake the five training rules: to abstain from the destruction of life … to abstain from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; and for one to develop a mind of loving-kindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow's udder, would it be to develop the perception of impermanence just for the time of a finger snap."[n.1883] Mp: "The perception of impermanence is strong insight that has reached the peak and is an immediate condition for the path" (aniccasaññan ti maggassa anantarapaccayabhāvena sikhāpattabalavavipassanaṁ).

9Yañca, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya … yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya … yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya, yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya – pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ … pe … surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo ca accharāsaṅghātamattampi aniccasaññaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataran"ti.

Dasamaṁ.
Sīhanādavaggo dutiyo.

10Nādo saupādiseso ca,
koṭṭhikena samiddhinā;
Gaṇḍasaññā kulaṁ mettā,
devatā velāmena cāti.