法苑珠林 69.68

69.68

Furthermore, there are five kinds of superior fruits: namely, giving to parents, the sick, Dharma teachers, and bodhisattvas obtains superior fruits and retributions. Parents give the gracious care that gives rise to and sustains one's body and life; therefore, one who gives [to them] obtains a superior fruit and retribution. Furthermore, the sick are solitary and pitiable; for this reason, one who gives to the sick by arousing a mind of loving-kindness and compassion obtains a superior fruit and retribution. Furthermore, those who preach the Dharma can generate the Dharma body and increase the Dharma body, forever guiding between good and evil, evenness and non-evenness, distortion and non-distortion; therefore, one who gives [to them] obtains a superior fruit and retribution. Furthermore, all bodhisattvas are able to gather and benefit sentient beings, arousing a mind of loving-kindness and compassion so as to take hold of the cause for not severing the Three Jewels; for this reason, one who gives to bodhisattvas obtains a superior fruit and retribution (because the bodhisattva's initial generation of the mind is brave, their compassionate vow and power are vast, unlike other merits whose mindset is narrow and inferior).