sn.1.32 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Stinginess

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, a number of devatās belonging to the Satullapa host, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’ s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.

Then one devatā, standing to one side, recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Through stinginess and negligence
A gift is not given.
One who knows, desiring merit,
Should surely give a gift.”

Then another devatā recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:

“That which the miser fears when he does not give
Is the very danger that comes to the nongiver.
The hunger and thirst that the miser fears
Afflict that fool in this world and the next.

“Therefore, having removed stinginess,
The conqueror of the stain should give a gift.
Deeds of merit are the support for living beings
When they arise in the other world.”

Then another devatā recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:

“They do not die among the dead
Who, like fellow travellers on the road,
Provide though they have but a little:
This is an ancient principle.

“Some provide from the little they have,
Others who are affluent don’t like to give.
An offering given from what little one has
Is worth a thousand times its value.”

Then another devatā recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:

“The bad do not emulate the good,
Who give what is hard to give
And do deeds hard to do:
The Dhamma of the good is hard to follow.

“Therefore their destination after death
Differs for the good and the bad:
The bad go to hell,
The good are bound for heaven.”

Then another devatā said to the Blessed One: “Which one, Blessed One, has spoken well?”

“You have all spoken well in a way. But listen to me too:

“If one practises the Dhamma
Though getting on by gleaning,
If while one supports one’s wife
One gives from the little one has,
Then a hundred thousand offerings
Of those who sacrifice a thousand
Are not worth even a fraction
Of the gift of one like him.”

Then another devatā addressed the Blessed One in verse:

“Why does their sacrifice, vast and grand,
Not share the value of the righteous one’s gift?
Why are a hundred thousand offerings
Of those who sacrifice a thousand
Not worth even a fraction
Of the gift of one like him?”

Then the Blessed One answered that devatā in verse:

“Since they give while settled in unrighteousness,
Having slain and killed, causing sorrow,
Their offering—tearful, fraught with violence—
Shares not the value of the righteous one’s gift.
That is why a hundred thousand offerings
Of those who sacrifice a thousand
Are not worth even a fraction
Of the gift of one like him.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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Stinginess

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the Satullapa Group, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Standing to one side, one deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
“Because of stinginess and negligence
a gift is not given.
Wanting merit,
a smart person would give.”
Then another deity recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:
“When a miser fails to give because of fear,
the very thing they’re afraid of comes to pass.
The hunger and thirst
that a miser fears
hurt the fool
in this world and the next.
So you should dispel stinginess,
overcoming that stain, and give a gift.
The good deeds of sentient beings
support them in the next world.”
Then another deity recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:
“Among the dead they do not die,
those who, like fellow travelers on the road,
are happy to provide, though they have but little.
This is an eternal truth.
Some who have little are happy to provide,
while some who have much don’t wish to give.
An offering given from little
is multiplied a thousand times.”
Then another deity recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:
“Giving what’s hard to give,
doing what’s hard to do;
the wicked don’t act like this,
for the teaching of the good is hard to follow.
That’s why the virtuous and the wicked
have different destinations after leaving this place.
The wicked go to hell,
while the virtuous are bound for heaven.”
Then another deity said to the Buddha,
“Sir, who has spoken well?”
“You’ve all spoken well in your own way. However, listen to me also:
A hundred thousand people making a thousand sacrifices
isn’t worth a fraction
of one who lives rightly, wandering for gleanings,
or one who supports their partner from what little they have.”
Then another deity addressed the Buddha in verse:
“Why doesn’t that sacrifice of theirs, so abundant and magnificent,
equal the value of a moral person’s gift?
How is it that a hundred thousand people making a thousand sacrifices
isn’t worth a fraction of what’s offered by such a person?”
“Some give based on immorality—
after injuring, killing, and tormenting.
Such an offering—tearful, violent—
in no way equals the value of a moral person’s gift.
That’s how it is that a hundred thousand people making a thousand sacrifices
isn’t worth a fraction of what’s offered by such a person.”