法苑珠林 52.46

52.46

As the Pusa benxing jing states: The Buddha told Sudatta: In a past age there was a Brahman named Velāma, incomparable in handsome appearance and foremost in intelligence and wisdom, with immeasurable wealth beyond reckoning. Velāma said, "All the wealth and jewels I possess are impermanent. I have no use for them; I wish to give them to the poor and destitute." He immediately set up a great altar. People gathered like clouds, all coming to the place. At that time, Velāma wished to wash his own hands and tilted the kuṇḍikā, but the water would not come out. He was deeply worried: "What fault will attend my great sacrifice now that the water will not come out?" At that moment, a devaputra in the sky spoke to Velāma, saying: "Your giving is exceedingly good; none can surpass it. However, the recipients of your giving are all followers of crooked deception and inverted views, unworthy to receive your reverent giving. For this reason, the water cannot come out." Thereupon Velāma heard the devaputra's words and his mind was opened and awakened. He immediately made a vow: "May my present giving serve to attain the unsurpassable, true, and correct Way. Truly, as I vow, when I now pour the water, may it fall upon my hand." Having made the vow, he tilted the water vase, and the water immediately fell upon his hand. The devas praised him, saying: "According to your vow, you will attain buddhahood before long." At that time, Velāma gave clothing, food, and drink to the poor and destitute. For twelve years, he gave everything away, hoarding nothing. The Buddha told Sudatta: "The Brahman Velāma at that time was my own person. What I gave was good and my mind was also good, but the recipients were not good; though what was given was vast, the retribution obtained was very little. But now my Dharma is truly sublime and pure, and my disciples are true and upright: though what is given may be little, the retribution obtained is very great. In terms of the giving performed over twelve years to all the people of Jambudvīpa, calculating its merit, it does not equal giving to a single srotāpanna; the blessing [of the latter] is far greater, surpassing the former. Giving to a hundred srotāpannas, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single sakṛdāgāmin. Giving to a hundred sakṛdāgāmins, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single anāgāmin. Giving to a hundred anāgāmins, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single arhat. Giving to a hundred arhats, together with the former merit, does not equal giving to a single pratyekabuddha. Giving to a hundred pratyekabuddhas, a hundred arhats, a hundred anāgāmins, a hundred sakṛdāgāmins, a hundred srotāpannas, and giving to the people of Jambudvīpa—the merit obtained does not equal building a stupa, monastery, or vihāra, and offering clothing, food, and other necessities to the Saṃgha of the four directions throughout past, present, and future, supplying whatever they need. Calculating its merit, it surpasses the merit produced before. Setting against this the merit of blessings produced before, it does not equal giving to a single Buddha; its merit is exceedingly vast, beyond further reckoning. Although making offerings to the Buddha together with all the former merit of giving [is vast], it does not equal a person taking the three refuges, the eightfold observance, or upholding the five precepts for a single day; the merit obtained surpasses the former by hundreds of thousands of myriad times, beyond all comparison. Furthermore, taking the blessing of upholding the precepts and combining it with all the former merit, it does not equal sitting in meditation and lovingly contemplating sentient beings for the duration of a single meal; the merit obtained surpasses the former by hundreds of thousands of myriad times. Furthermore, combining all the former merit, it does not equal hearing the Dharma, holding it in one's heart, and contemplating the four noble truths; compared to the former merit, this is most revered, foremost, and unsurpassable." Thereupon Sudatta, hearing the Dharma, leapt for joy; body and mind purified, he attained the path of an anāgāmin.