三歸五戒慈心厭離功德經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the city of Śrāvastī. At that time the Buddha related to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika the following:

"In a distant kalpa long ago there was a brahmin named Velāma, who possessed much money, wealth, and precious jewels. When he brought forth his gifts of charity, he used eighty-four thousand bowls made of gold filled with silver, and eighty-four thousand bowls made of silver filled with gold. He also took eighty-four thousand bathing vessels of gold and silver; he also took eighty-four thousand oxen, all with gold and silver covering their horns; he also took eighty-four thousand maidens splendidly adorned; he also took eighty-four thousand couches spread over with silk; he also took eighty-four thousand sets of garments; he also took eighty-four thousand elephants and horses, all fitted with bridles of gold and silver to bind their heads and muzzles;

he also took eighty-four thousand dwellings to give as charity; and he also performed charity at the four gates of the city, giving everything to whoever desired anything, distributing all to them.

Moreover, he used a dwelling to give as charity to the Saṅgha coming from the four directions.

"The merit of giving charity as described above does not equal that of receiving the Three Refuges. Why is this so? Because one who receives the Three Refuges gives the gift of fearlessness to all sentient beings; therefore, in taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, the merit and virtue of such a person cannot be measured.

"The merit and virtue of giving charity as described above and of receiving and upholding the Three Refuges does not equal the merit and virtue of one who receives and upholds the Five Precepts. One who receives and upholds the Five Precepts has merit complete and full, surpassing all.

"The merit and virtue of giving charity as described above and of receiving and upholding the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts still does not equal the merit and virtue of one who, for but a moment, as brief as the snap of a finger, gives rise to a heart of compassion toward sentient beings.

"The merit and virtue of giving charity as described above, and the merit and virtue of receiving and upholding the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts and giving rise to a heart of compassion toward sentient beings, still does not equal the merit and virtue of one who gives rise to the perception that there is nothing worthy of delight in all the world. Why is this so? Because the merit of giving rise to the perception that there is nothing worthy of delight in all the world is able to enable the practitioner to extinguish the suffering of birth and death and to fully accomplish the Buddha Way; therefore, the merit and virtue of such a person is supreme."

At that time, when the householder had heard what the Buddha had spoken, he rejoiced and reverently practiced it.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA

ON THE MERIT AND VIRTUE OF THE THREE REFUGES, THE FIVE PRECEPTS,

THE COMPASSIONATE MIND, AND DISENCHANTMENT