Dānamahapphala Sutta (Generosity can lead to the Anagami stage!)

Dānamahapphalasutta

They don’t give a gift thinking, ‘When giving this gift my mind becomes clear, and I become happy and joyful.’

Napi ‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti;

But they give a gift thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind.’

api ca kho cittālaṅkāracittaparikkhāraṁ dānaṁ deti.

They give to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So taṁ dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ.

What do you think, Sāriputta, don’t some people give gifts in this way?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sāriputta, dadeyya idhekacco evarūpaṁ dānan”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Sāriputta, someone who gives gifts, not for any other reason,

“Tatra, sāriputta, yvāyaṁ na heva sāpekho dānaṁ deti;

na patibaddhacitto dānaṁ deti;

na sannidhipekho dānaṁ deti;

na ‘imaṁ pecca paribhuñjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘sāhu dānan’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ pitupitāmahehi na arahāmi porāṇaṁ kulavaṁsaṁ hāpetun’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘ahaṁ pacāmi, ime na pacanti, nārahāmi pacanto apacantānaṁ dānaṁ adātun’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘yathā tesaṁ pubbakānaṁ isīnaṁ tāni mahāyaññāni ahesuṁ, seyyathidaṁ—

aṭṭhakassa vāmakassa vāmadevassa vessāmittassa yamadaggino aṅgīrasassa bhāradvājassa vāseṭṭhassa kassapassa bhaguno, evaṁ me ayaṁ dānasaṁvibhāgo bhavissatī’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti;

but thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind’,

api ca kho cittālaṅkāracittaparikkhāraṁ dānaṁ deti.

when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn among the gods of Brahmā’s Host.

So taṁ dānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

When that deed, success, fame, and sovereignty is spent they are a non-returner; they do not return to this place.

So taṁ kammaṁ khepetvā taṁ iddhiṁ taṁ yasaṁ taṁ ādhipaccaṁ anāgāmī hoti anāgantā itthattaṁ.

This is the cause, this is the reason why someone gives a gift and it is not very fruitful or beneficial,

Ayaṁ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ.

while someone else gives exactly the same gift and it is very fruitful and beneficial.”

Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsan”ti.

• I want to make sure I understand this sutta. Some people give gifts out of family tradition, because religious leaders say so, because they want to be reborn in a Deva or Brahma world, because it brings them joy, and because they see it as an adornment and requisite of the mind. According to the sutta, the best way to give is when one believes that it is an adornment and requisite of the mind. Can we say that this sutta distinguishes between a gift made with Punna Kamma and a gift made with Kusala Kamma? We know that Punna Kamma gives us good rebirths but not Nibbāna. Those who donate with Punna Kamma eventually return to the human world or below after a rebirth in the deva realms. On the other hand, Kusala Kamma takes us to a stage of magga phala. Those who make this kind of gift end up being reborn in a pure abode (Suddhavasa). If this is the case, how can we transform the gifts we make with Punna Kamma into Kusalas Kammas? Is it enough just to say to ourselves “This is an adornment and requisite for the mind”?