佛說布施經

Thus have I truly heard: At one time the Buddha, together with the great assembly of bhikṣus, was dwelling at the Jetavana Vihāra. At that time, for the sake of the great assembly, he expounded the thirty-seven kinds of giving (dāna).

1. One who gives with deep and earnest faith will be far removed from jealousy and will be honored by all.

2. One who gives at the proper time will have the three karmas purified and the four seasons made peaceful.

3. One who gives constantly will have body and mind at ease and joyful, free from distraction.

4. One who gives with one's own hands will have fingers slender and long, and a bodily form upright, dignified, and beautiful.

5. One who gives to others will receive great and abundant giving from others.

6. One who gives in accordance with the Dharma, the mind being far removed from attachment to marks, will obtain the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) merit.

7. One who gives subtle and wondrous form will have the color of the body adorned, and all will delight in it.

8. One who gives supreme and wondrous incense will constantly be endowed with the fragrance of candana and will be made offerings to by all.

9. One who gives supreme and wondrous flavors will obtain the most excellent flavor among all flavors, and the body will be strong and healthy.

10. One who gives with reverence in accordance with the Dharma will obtain peace and joy, and all will delight to behold him.

11. One who gives with a vast and expansive mind will obtain merit immeasurably abundant.

12. One who gives fine food will suffer no famine, and the storehouses and granaries will be filled to overflowing.

13. One who gives milk and water will never suffer hunger or thirst wherever he goes.

14. One who gives clothing will obtain fine and beautiful garments to adorn the body.

15. One who gives dwelling places will obtain vast fields, gardens, and houses, and magnificent towers and pavilions.

16. One who gives bedding will be born into a wealthy and noble clan, with all utensils bright and clean.

17. One who gives elephants, horses, and carriages will obtain the four bases of spiritual power (ṛddhipāda), with wondrous functioning unobstructed.

18. One who gives medicine will always have body and mind peaceful and joyful, free from illness and disease.

19. One who gives the scriptures and the Dharma will obtain the various spiritual penetrations, such as the knowledge of former lives (pūrvanivāsānusmṛti)…

20. One who gives flowers and fruits will obtain the flowers of the seven factors of enlightenment (saptabodhyaṅga).

21. One who gives garlands of flowers will be far removed from the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion.

22. One who gives fragrant incense will be far removed from the afflictions of defilement and impurity.

23. One who gives parasols will attain sovereign mastery over all dharmas.

24. One who gives bells will obtain a beautiful voice.

25. One who gives music will obtain a wondrous Brahma voice.

26. One who gives lamps will obtain the pure divine eye (divyacakṣus).

27. One who gives silk will obtain the robe of liberation to wear.

28. One who sprinkles fragrant water upon the stūpas and shrines that enshrine the Tathāgata.

29. One who bathes the body of the Tathāgata with fragrant water.

30. One who anoints the image of the Buddha with fragrant oil—such a person will obtain the thirty-two noble marks and the eighty fine features.

31. One who offers fragrant water for the bathing of the assembly of monks will be born into a wealthy household, with little illness and at peace and joy.

32. One who gives with a mind of loving-kindness (maitrī) arisen will have a gentle and harmonious bearing, with anger and hatred no more.

33. One who gives with a mind of compassion (karuṇā) arisen will be far removed from the mind of killing.

34. One who gives with a mind of sympathetic joy (muditā) arisen will obtain fearlessness, with worry, sorrow, and grief no more.

35. One who gives with a mind of equanimity (upekṣā) arisen will be far removed from obstructions and will obtain the joy of Nirvāṇa.

36. One who gives many goods and offerings will obtain abundant merit.

37. One who gives with a mind of non-abiding and no marks (apratiṣṭhita and animitta) arisen will realize Supreme Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi).

The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: "These thirty-seven kinds of giving are the practice of the wise, exceedingly subtle and wondrous. You should receive and uphold them."

At that time, the king of the country of Śrāvastī addressed the Buddha: "World-Honored One! How should we practice giving?"

The Buddha taught: "Great King! If you wish to seek the supreme and wondrous reward of merit, then at the time of giving you must arouse a mind of loving-kindness and compassion that does not kill, and be far removed from a mind of envy; be in accord with right view, and keep far from what is not good; carefully observe the precepts and prohibitions, and draw near to good friends; close the doors of the evil paths and open the path of birth in the heavens; benefit yourself and benefit others, arousing a mind of equality. If one gives in such a way, this is then true giving, a vast and expansive field of merit. Furthermore, when giving accords with one's own heart's wish, one obtains the reward of merit befitting it.

"Whether one gives with one's own hands wondrous forms, precious incense, fragrant flavors, or soft and supple things, one obtains the reward of being honored by all, of having kinsfolk gathered together in abundance, and of being wealthy and at peace and joy. If one gives food and drink, the body will be strong and healthy; or if one gives oil to light lamps, one will obtain the divine eye; one who gives music will obtain the divine ear; one who gives medicine will obtain long life; one who gives dwelling places will obtain towers, pavilions, fields, and gardens; one who gives the Dharma will obtain the sweet dew (amṛta)."

The Buddha taught again: "Great King! If one practices giving with the ten wholesome deeds, one will obtain ten kinds of recompense. The ten wholesome deeds are: not killing living beings, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not speaking falsely, not speaking embellished words, not speaking harsh and cruel words, not speaking divisive double-tongued words, not being greedy, not being angry, and not being deluded. The ten kinds of merit-reward are: living long without dying young, wealth and possessions not being lost, kinsfolk being pure, speaking true words, being free from envy, being one whom all delight to meet, having friends in harmony, not falling into poverty and lowliness, having a handsome and dignified appearance, and being endowed with corresponding wisdom."

The Buddha taught further: "Great King! If one offers fragrant and delicious food and drink as offerings to the Three Jewels, one will obtain five benefits: a beautiful bodily form, abundant strength and health, long-lasting life, joy and peace, and the accomplishment of eloquence. Thus, for all sentient beings, even unto one's father and mother, wife and children, and male and female kinsfolk within this continent of Jambudvīpa, if one gives in this manner, then all that one wishes for will be fulfilled to perfection." Having heard the Buddha expound this Dharma, the great assembly all rejoiced, bowed their heads in reverence, and withdrew.