iti.98 Itivuttaka

Giving

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, there are these two kinds of giving: the giving of material things and the giving of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of giving, this is the foremost, namely, the giving of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of sharing: the sharing of material things and the sharing of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of sharing, this is the foremost, namely, the sharing of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of help: help with material things and help with the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of help, this is the foremost, namely, help with the Dhamma.”

When they say that giving
Is supreme and unsurpassed,
And the Lord himself has extolled sharing,
Who, wise and knowing,
Confident in that foremost field of merit,
Would not give at the appropriate time?

Both for those who proclaim it
And for those who listen to it,
Confident in the Sublime One’s teaching,
The supreme good is fully purified
As they live diligently in the teaching.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Giving

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“There are, mendicants, these two gifts.
A gift of material things and a gift of the teaching.
The better of these two gifts is the gift of the teaching.
There are these two kinds of sharing.
Sharing material things and sharing the teaching.
The better of these two kinds of sharing is sharing the teaching.
There are these two kinds of support.
Support in material things and support in the teaching.
The better of these two kinds of support is support in the teaching.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“It is said to be the supreme, ultimate gift,
and the sharing praised by the Buddha;
what wise and sensible person, confident in the best of fields,
would not sow a such timely gift?
For those who are diligent in the dispensation of the Holy One,
both those who speak and those who listen,
confident in the dispensation of the Holy One,
such a gift purifies the highest goal.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.