Anguttara Nikaya
The Discourse Collection in Numerical Order
An Anthology
by
Nyanaponika Thera
© 2007
Contents
Book of the Eights (Concluded) / Notes
Book of the Nines / Notes
Book of the Tens / Notes
Book of the Elevens
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato
sammaa-Sambuddhassa
The Book of the Eights (concluded)
1. WAYS OF GIVING
"There are eight ways of giving. What eight
Spontaneously[1] one gives; or one gives out of fear;[2] or because of thinking, ”He, too, has given me a gift”; or because of thinking, ”He will give me a present, too”; or because of thinking that it is good to give;[3] or because of thinking, ”I cook, but they (being ascetics) do not; since I cook, it would not be proper for me to refuse giving (a meal) to those who do not cook”; or because of thinking, ”By giving such a gift, I shall earn a good reputation”; or one gives because it ennobles the mind, adorns the mind."[4]
— AN 8.31
2. REASONS FOR GIVING
"There are eight reasons for giving. What eight
People may give out of affection; or in an angry mood;[5] out of stupidity;[6] out of fear; or because they think: ”Such gifts have been given before by my father and grandfather and it was done by them before; hence it will be unworthy of me to give up this old family tradition”; or because of thinking, ”By giving this gift, I shall — after the body”s break-up, after death — be reborn in a happy realm of existence, in a heavenly world”; or because of thinking, ”When giving this gift, my heart will be glad, and happiness and joy will arise in me”; or one gives because it ennobles and adorns the mind."
— AN 8.33
3. REBIRTH ON ACCOUNT OF GIVING
"There are eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving. What eight
"Herein, monks, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food, drink, garments, a vehicle, flowers, incense, ointment, bedding, housing or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now notices noblemen of wealth, brahmans of wealth or householders of wealth, provided with the five sense pleasures and enjoying them. And he thinks: ”Oh, may I be reborn among them, when I die, when this body breaks up!” And he sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low,[7] and if not developed to what is higher,[8] it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among wealthy noblemen, wealthy brahmans or wealthy householders. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous;[9] for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart”s desire of the virtuous succeeds.
"Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings — the Thirty-three gods — the Yaama gods — the Tusita gods — the gods of creative joy — the gods controlling others” creations, and he wishes to be reborn among them. He sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low, and if not developed to what is higher, it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among the deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings... the gods controlling others” creations. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous; for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart”s desire of the virtuous succeeds.
"Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of th…
《Anguttara Nikaya:The Discourse Collection in Numerical Order》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…