{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an7.57/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an7.57","id":"suttacentral_an7.57","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an7.57/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then General S\u012bha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: \u201cSir, can you point out a fruit of giving that\u2019s apparent in the present life?\u201d \u201cWell then, S\u012bha, I\u2019ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, S\u012bha? Consider two people. One is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive. One is a faithful donor who loves charity. Which do you think the perfected ones will show sympathy for first?\u201d \u201cWhy would the perfected ones first show sympathy for the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive? They\u2019d show sympathy first for the faithful donor who loves charity.\u201d \u201cWhich do you think the perfected ones will first approach?\u201d \u201cThey\u2019d first approach the faithful donor who loves charity.\u201d \u201cWhich do you think the perfected ones will receive alms from first?\u201d \u201cThey\u2019d receive alms first from the faithful donor who loves charity.\u201d \u201cWhich do you think the perfected ones will teach the Dhamma to first?\u201d \u201cThey\u2019d first teach the Dhamma to the faithful donor who loves charity.\u201d \u201cWhich do you think would get a good reputation?\u201d \u201cThe faithful donor who loves charity would get a good reputation.\u201d \u201cWhich do you think would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it\u2019s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?\u201d \u201cHow could the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it\u2019s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics? The faithful donor who loves charity would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it\u2019s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.\u201d \u201cWhen their body breaks up, after death, which do you think would be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?\u201d \u201cWhy would the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm? The faithful donor who loves charity would, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don\u2019t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. I\u2019m a giver, a donor, and the perfected ones show sympathy for me first. I\u2019m a giver, and the perfected ones approach me first. I\u2019m a giver, and the perfected ones receive alms from me first. I\u2019m a giver, and the perfected ones teach me Dhamma first. I\u2019m a giver, and I have this good reputation: \u2018General S\u012bha gives, serves, and attends on the Sa\u1e45gha.\u2019 I\u2019m a giver, I enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it\u2019s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don\u2019t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. But when the Buddha says: \u2018When a giver\u2019s body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\u2019 I don\u2019t know this, so I rely on faith in the Buddha.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s so true, S\u012bha! That\u2019s so true! When a giver\u2019s body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\u201d","title":"General S\u012bha","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":567}