Hello Upekkha,
Thank you for bringing to attention this important sutta.
Following is my translation of the whole sutta. If there are questions, please don’t hesitate to ask:
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Jetvanarama monastery. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Householder, are offerings still given by your family?”.
“Food offerings are still given by my family, bhante, but they are coarse made with broken rice and not that good”. (My Comment: By this time, Anāthapiṇḍika had gone broke, having spent all his wealth building Jetavanarama and making offerings to the bhikkhus every day. But he got his wealth back later on).
“Householder, regardless of whether an offering is inexpensive or expensive, if it is prepared inattentively, disrespectfully, not with one’s own hand, as if throwing it away, with the view that nothing will come of it, then the results (vipaka) of that giving will not be that good: Whenever the result of that giving comes to fruition, one would not enjoy it even if it is splendid food, splendid clothing, splendid vehicles, or any other enjoyment coming through the five senses. And one’s children, servants, and other workers will not listen to one, will not be respectful. Why is that? Because that giving was not done with the proper mindset.
Householder, regardless of whether a gift is inexpensive or expensive, if it is prepared attentively, respectfully, with one’s own hand, not as if throwing it away, knowing that good kamma lead to good vipaka, then the results (vipaka) of that giving will be optimum: Whenever the result of that giving come to fruition, one’s mind will incline to the enjoyment of splendid food, will incline to the enjoyment of splendid clothing, will incline to the enjoyment of splendid vehicles, will incline to the enjoyment of the five sense faculties. And one’s children, servants, and workers will listen to one and will be respectful. Why is that? Because that is the result of a good kamma done with the proper mindset.
Once, householder, there was a brahman named Velāma. And this was the nature of the great gift, he gave: He gave 84,000 gold trays filled with silver, 84,000 silver trays filled with gold, 84,000 copper trays filled with gems. He gave 84,000 elephants with gold ornaments, gold banners, covered with nets of gold thread. He gave 84,000 chariots spread with lion skins, tiger skins, leopard skins, saffron-colored blankets, with gold ornaments, gold banners, covered with nets of gold thread. He gave 84,000 milk cows with tethers of fine jute and copper milk pails. He gave 84,000 maidens adorned with jeweled earrings. He gave 84,000 couches spread with long-fleeced coverlets, white wool coverlets, embroidered coverlets, rugs of deer hide, each with a canopy above and on red cushions. He gave 84,000 lengths of cloth—of finest linen, of finest cotton, of finest silk. To say nothing of the food and drink, staple and non-staple food, lotions and beddings: They flowed, as it were, like rivers.
Now, householder, I was Velāma the brahman at that time. I gave those expensive gifts. But those who received those gifts were not worthy of receiving them. Therefore, those givings did not lead to much merit”
However, if there was just one who was a ditthisampanna (Sotapanna) among them, that would have led to great benefits.
If one were to feed one Anagami, that would be more fruitful than that great gift that Velāma the brahman gave.
Furthermore, if one were to feed just one Anagami, that would be more beneficial than feeding 100 Sotapannas.
– If one were to feed one Arahant, that would be more fruitful than if one were to feed 100 Anagamis.
– If one were to feed one Pacceka Buddha, that would be more fruitful than if one were to feed 100 Arahants.
– If one were to feed one Smmasambuddha– self-awakened One- that would be more fruitful than if one were to feed 100 Pacceka Buddhas.
– If one were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, that would be more fruitful than if one were to feed a Smmasambuddha.
– If one were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the community of bhikkhus, that would be more fruitful than if one were to feed a community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha.
– If one with a confident mind were to seek the refuge Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha, that would be more fruitful than if one were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the bhikkhus.
– If one with a confident mind were to undertake the precepts—refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from illicit sex, refraining from misleading others, refraining from being intoxicated with liquor, money, power, etc—that would be more fruitful than if one with a confident mind were to seek refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
– If one were to cultivate the anicca saññā even for just a short time only lasting a finger-snap (accharāsaṅghātamattampi aniccasaññaṃ bhāveyya), that would be more fruitful than all those great gifts that Velāma the brahman gave, and also greater than those other greater actions described above.”
End of the sutta.
My comments: There are four major “take-ins”:
1. Just giving for the sake of giving (without right understanding, etc) will not be fruitful, no matter how much is given.
2. Even if a little is given with the right mindset, that will lead to much benefits (mahapphalataran).
3. Merits of such giving will increase greatly if the recipient is of worthy of receiving.
4. Comprehending the anicca nature even for a brief moment is much more beneficial than all givings mentioned.
So, there are many things we can learn from this sutta. Most of all, it shows how important it is to cultivate the anicca saññā.