{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an9.20/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an9.20","id":"suttacentral_an9.20","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an9.20/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. Then the householder An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, \u201cHouseholder, I wonder whether your family gives gifts?\u201d \u201cIt does, sir. But only coarse sour gruel with false black pepper.\u201d \u201cHouseholder, someone might give a gift that\u2019s either coarse or fine. But they give it carelessly, thoughtlessly, not with their own hand. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind doesn\u2019t incline toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers don\u2019t want to listen to them. They don\u2019t actively listen or try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carelessly. Someone might give a gift that\u2019s either coarse or fine. And they give it carefully, thoughtfully, with their own hand. They don\u2019t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind inclines toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carefully. Once upon a time, householder, there was a brahmin named Vel\u0101ma. He gave the following gift, a great offering. 84,000 gold cups filled with silver. 84,000 silver cups filled with gold. 84,000 bronze cups filled with gold coins. 84,000 elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 chariots upholstered with the hide of lions, tigers, and leopards, and cream rugs, with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 milk cows with muslin halter and bronze pails. 84,000 maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings. 84,000 couches spread with woolen covers\u2014shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers\u2014and spread with a fine deer hide, with canopies above and red pillows at both ends. 8,400,000,000 cloths of delicate linen, cotton, silk, and wool. And who can say how much food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed like an overflowing river. Householder, you might think: \u2018Surely the brahmin Vel\u0101ma must have been someone else at that time?\u2019 But you should not see it like this. I myself was the brahmin Vel\u0101ma at that time. I gave that gift, a great offering. But at that event there was no one worthy of a religious donation, and no one to purify the religious donation. It would be more fruitful to feed one individual accomplished in view than that great offering of Vel\u0101ma. It would be more fruitful to feed one once-returner than a hundred of those accomplished in view. It would be more fruitful to feed one non-returner than a hundred once-returners. It would be more fruitful to feed one perfected one than a hundred non-returners. It would be more fruitful to feed one independent Buddha than a hundred perfected ones. It would be more fruitful to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha than a hundred independent Buddhas. It would be more fruitful to feed the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha headed by the Buddha than to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. It would be more fruitful to build a dwelling especially for the Sa\u1e45gha of the four quarters than to feed the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha headed by the Buddha. It would be more fruitful to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Sa\u1e45gha with a confident heart than to build a dwelling for the Sa\u1e45gha of the four quarters. It would be more fruitful to undertake the training rules\u2014not to kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor\u2014than to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Sa\u1e45gha with a confident heart. It would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love\u2014even just as long as it takes to pull a cow\u2019s udder\u2014than to undertake the training rules. It would be more fruitful to develop the perception of impermanence\u2014even as long as a finger-snap\u2014than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow\u2019s udder.\u201d","title":"About Vel\u0101ma","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":739}