Chapter 24
generosity bring about abundance of reward. Choice of recipients should be
made before offerings are made. Offerings of gifts to the selected persons
with faith and generosity invariably lead the donor to the world of devas.
Choice of both gift and recipient has been highly praised by a succession of
Buddhas. There are virtuous persons with longevity in this world. Gifts
dedicated to such persons of virtue with faith and generosity will invariably
bring about wealth and happiness to the donors while in the worlds of men
and deva before his attainment to the Final Goal of NibbÈna, as in the case of
sowing the choicest seeds of five kinds,
bijagam
1
.
The Buddha went on to preach four more Stanzas that lead to NibbÈna through the
avenues of Path and Fruition stages:
TiÓadosÈni KhettÈni
rÈgadosÈ ayaÑ pajÈ
tasamÈhi vÊta rÈgesu
dinnaÑ hoti mahÈpphalaÑ
There have been instances where potential seeds ‘
bijagam’
have been thrown
on the fields full of grass and weeds. In the same way, gifts have been
offered to devas and humans who are destitute of virtue and full of passion
(
rÈga
). Therefore, offering of gifts should be made to the
ariya-puggalas
who are void of passion (
rÈga
), with a view to enjoy worldly life in the
planes of devas and humans before attainment to the Final Goal of NibbÈna.
TiÓadosÈni KhettÈni
dosadosÈ ayam pajÈ
tasamÈ hi vÊtadosesu
dinnaÑ hoti mahÈpphalaÑ.
Just as there are arable lands full of grass and weeds, so there are devas and
humans who are destitute of virtue and full of anger. Wherefore, one should
see to it that gifts are offered to those who are free from malice, so that one
may enjoy the worldly life of devas and humans before attainment to the
final goal of NibbÈna.
TiÓadosÈni KhettÈni
mohadosÈ ayaÑ pajÈ
tasmÈ hi vÊtamohesu
dinnaÑ hoti mahÈpphalaÑ.
Just as the arable lands are naturally full of grass and shrubs, so devas and
humans are full of delusion. So gifts should be offered only to the
ariya-
puggalas
, who are devoid of delusion, so that one may enjoy the worldly life
in the planes of devas and humans before attainment to the final Goal of
NibbÈna.
TiÓadosÈni KhetÈni
IcchÈdosÈ ayaÑ pajÈ
tasmÈ hi vÊgaticchesu
dinnaÑ hoti mahÈpphalaÑ.
Just as arable lands are naturally full of grass and shrubs, so devas and
humans are naturally imbued with five kinds of desire for pleasures of the
1.
Bijagam
means bÊja or germ, five in number, namely, root, aggregation, germ, fruit, seed; each of
these is able to grow when separated from the tree.