(３７)有人曾問：

　　“哪種善行功德大？哪種善行功德小？”

　　37) People have asked,

　　37) “What sort of merit has little effect and what sort great effect

　　”

　　佛陀教導：“不淨施的功德，不及行慈(metta)功德的十六的十六次方分之一。”(泰本巴利藏第２５冊，２４４頁)。

　　THE BUDDHA TAUGHT, “The value of merit-making which is based on greed has not the sixteenth sixteenth part of the value of cultivating friendliness (mettā).”

　　“不淨施”指的是爲得名聞，爲上天堂，爲來生貌美財富，或爲獲得五欲享樂而布施，這種貪染的布施不外是執著罷了！有執著的布施雖然仍稱爲布施，但它的功德不及行慈功德的十六的十六次方分之一。

　　Merit-making based on greed includes merit-making for publicity, merit-making in exchange for paradise or heaven, merit-making in order to be reborn beautiful or rich, and merit- making to gain sensual pleasure. Such merit-making is based on greed. It is solely grasping and clinging. Merit-making that consists of grasping and clinging is still merit-making, but it cannot have the sixteenth sixteenth part of the value of practising metta. Friendliness is not based on self-interest; it is practised for the sake of other people. There is universal love for all other people. Merit born of mettā is great merit; merit based on greed does not amount to the sixteenth sixteenth part of that of metta.

　　“行慈”不是基于自利，而是爲了利他，普遍關愛所有的人。由慈悲心而生的功德才是大功德，而不淨施的功德不及行慈功德的十六的十六次方分之一。

　　當想要顯示兩者在數量上有極大差別時，巴利語常用這種表達方式：第十六份被分十六次。假設我們有一單位的東西，先把它分成十六等份，再取其中一份分成十六等份，然後又取其中一份再分成十六等份，再取一份再分……如此總共分十六次，冰能得十六的十六次方分之一，不淨施的功德不及行慈功德的十六的十六次方分之一。

　　In the Pali language, when it was desired to indicate a great quantitative difference between things, this sort of expression was commonly used, “the sixteenth part taken sixteen times”. Suppose we have one unit of something. Divide it up into sixteen parts and take one of these. Again, pide that part into six-teen parts and take one of them. Then pide that part yet again into sixteen parts. Again take one and pide it. Carry on like this a total of sixteen times to get the sixteeth sixteenth part.

　　Merit which is based on greed is described as not worth the sixteenth sixteenth part of the merit based on friendliness (mettā).