佛說布施經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus. On that occasion he expounded the Dharma of giving (dāna), which is of thirty-seven kinds:

1. To practice the Dharma of giving with steadfast faith—one will become far removed from all envy and jealousy, and will be honored by all people.

2. Giving at the proper time—one attains purity of the three karmas and is at peace through the four seasons.

3. Constantly practicing giving—body and mind attain peace and joy, and are not scattered or disturbed.

4. Giving with one's own hands—one will obtain slender, tapering fingers and an upright, well-formed bodily appearance.

5. Giving on behalf of others—one will in turn receive even more giving and renunciation from others.

6. Giving the gift of instruction and guidance—the mind becomes open and free, and one attains the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) merit.

7. Giving with all manner of beauty—one obtains a body of fine and dignified form, beloved by all people.

8. Giving all kinds of subtle and wondrous fragrances—one obtains the enjoyment of offerings as fragrant as sandalwood (candana) incense.

9. Giving superior flavors—one obtains food of superior flavor that nourishes and benefits the body and the four limbs.

10. Giving with reverence and in accordance with the Dharma—one attains peace and delight, and everyone delights to meet one.

11. Giving with a vast and magnanimous mind—one obtains immeasurable and far-reaching merit.

12. Giving delicious food—one avoids the plight of hunger and suffering, and one's storehouses become filled to overflowing.

13. Giving drinking water—wherever one goes one will never suffer hunger or thirst.

14. Giving clothing—one obtains beautiful garments and a body adorned with dignity.

15. Giving a dwelling place—one obtains spacious fields, gardens, and houses, and magnificent towers and pavilions.

16. Giving bedding and resting articles—one is born into a noble family with pure and beautiful furnishings.

17. Giving elephants, horses, and carriages—one obtains the four bases of spiritual power (ṛddhipāda) with their wondrous and unobstructed function.

18. Giving medicine—one attains peace and delight, and is free of all illness and disease.

19. Making offerings of scriptures and the Dharma—one obtains spiritual powers such as the knowledge of past lives and the like.

20. Making offerings of flowers and fruit—one obtains the flowers of the Seven Factors of Awakening (saptabodhyaṅga).

21. Making offerings of flower garlands—one is liberated from the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion.

22. Making offerings of incense—one becomes far removed from the ugly and loathsome afflictions.

23. Making offerings of parasols and canopies—one attains the Dharma of sovereign mastery.

24. Making offerings of bells and chimes—one obtains a voice and speech that are gentle and soothing.

25. Making offerings of music—one obtains the profound and wondrous Brahma-voice (the voice of the Buddha).

26. Making offerings of lamps—one obtains the pure divine eye (divyacakṣus).

27. Making offerings of silks of every color—one obtains the garment of liberation.

28. Sprinkling fragrant water to wash the stupas and shrines of the Tathāgata.

29. Bathing the body of the Tathāgata with water.

30. Anointing the image of the Buddha with fragrant oil—by all these one obtains the thirty-two marks and the eighty excellent characteristics.

31. Offering fragrant water for the assembly of the Saṅgha to bathe—one is born into a wealthy and noble family, with little illness and abundant joy.

32. Giving with a mind of loving-kindness (maitrī)—one obtains a gentle and kindly countenance, and brings all hatred to an end.

33. Giving with a mind of compassion (karuṇā)—one becomes far removed from killing and harming.

34. Giving with a mind of sympathetic joy (muditā)—one attains fearlessness and becomes far removed from grief and distress.

35. Giving with a mind of equanimity (upekṣā)—one becomes far removed from obstruction and hindrance, and realizes the peace and joy of cessation (nirvāṇa).

36. Giving many kinds of things—one obtains countless meritorious rewards.

37. Giving with a mind of non-abiding and non-form—one attains Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment (anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi).

The Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

"These are the thirty-seven kinds of subtle and wondrous practices of giving of the wise; you should receive and uphold them."

At that time, the King of Śrāvastī addressed the Buddha:

"Reverently I ask, World-Honored One! How should we practice giving?"

The Buddha said:

"If, Great King, when you practice giving in order to seek the supreme and wondrous reward of merit, you arouse a mind of loving-kindness that does not kill or harm, become far removed from all envy and jealousy, be in accord with right view, keep far from what is unwholesome, firmly maintain and guard the precepts, draw near to virtuous friends, close the gate to evil destinies and open the way to the heavenly destinies, benefiting yourself and benefiting others, your own mind being impartial and even—giving in this way is true giving; this is the great field of merit.

Furthermore, when you perform giving, you receive recompense in accordance with your mind's vow. If with your own hands you give beauty, fragrance, and food of fine and delicious flavor, you will be honored by all people, with a multitude of kinsfolk, and wealth and joy; or if you give milk, oil, and lamps, you will obtain the divine ear (divyaśrotra); or if you give medicine, you will obtain long life; or if you give a dwelling place (a place to live), you will obtain towers, pavilions, fields, and gardens; or if you give the Dharma, you will obtain the nectar of immortality (amṛta)."

The Buddha further said:

"If the Great King practices giving with the Ten Wholesome Deeds, he obtains ten kinds of recompense. The Ten Wholesome Deeds are: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not speaking falsely, not speaking embellished and frivolous words, not speaking harshly, not being double-tongued, not being greedy, not being hateful, and not being deluded—then one's life will not be cut short prematurely, one's wealth will not be scattered and lost, and one's kinsfolk will be pure. Moreover, with truthful speech one becomes far removed from all envy and jealousy; everyone who sees one rejoices; friends and companions are harmonious; one is not afflicted by poverty and want; one's countenance is upright and well-formed—thus wisdom and karmic reward correspond to one another."

The Buddha said:

"Great King, if one offers superior and wondrous food and drink to the Three Jewels, one obtains five kinds of benefit:

1. An upright, well-formed bodily appearance; 2. Increasing and flourishing vigor and strength; 3. A long and extended lifespan; 4. Peace and delight; 5. The accomplishment of eloquence. Thus all sentient beings of the Southern Continent of Jambudvīpa—fathers and mothers, wives and children, men and women, and kinsfolk—who perform giving as described above, in accordance with whatever they aspire to and seek, will find that there is nothing that is not fulfilled."

When the World-Honored One had finished expounding the Dharma, all rejoiced, paid their respects, and withdrew.