Chaḷaṅgadāna Sutta

 

Once the Awakened One was living at Sāvatthi

In jeta’s grove, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

 

At that time, the joyful mother Veḷukaṇḍakī,

who was a lay practitioner,

was preparing an offering, complete in six regards,

for the community of monks [1]

headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

 

With the cosmic vision

which is pure and beyond mere human sight,

the Awakened One saw,

the joyful mother Veḷukaṇḍakī

preparing that offering

and he addressed the monks saying:

 

‘The joyful mother Veḷukaṇḍakī

is preparing an offering complete in six regards,

for the community of monks

headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna monks.

 

How is the offering complete in six regards?

 

It is because of the three qualities on the giver’s side

and the three qualities on the receiver’s side.

 

[The Giver’s Qualities]

 

What are the three qualities of the givers?

 

That is monks,

(1) The giver has an uplifted mind preparing the offering,

(2) She has a clear and confident mind while giving,

(3) She rejoices afterwards. [2]

 

These are the three qualities of the giver.

 

[The Receivers’ Qualities]

 

What are the three qualities of the receiver?

 

Here monks,

(4) The receivers are rid of selfish desires

or practicing for the release from selfish desires,

(5) They are rid of anger

            or practicing for the release from anger,

(6) They are rid of delusion

            or practicing for the release from delusion. [3]

 

These are the three qualities of the receivers.

 

Thus, there are three qualities of the givers

and the three qualities from the receivers.

 

This is how is the offering complete in six aspects.

 

[Merit Hard to Conceive]

 

“When an offering is complete in these six aspects as such,

It is not easy to conceive the amount of merit thinking:

“‘Just this much’ is the overflowing [river] of merit…”

But it can only be understood as an incalculable,

Immeasurable great mass of merit.

 

Just as it is not easy to conceive

the amount of water in the great ocean thinking:

 

“There are just

this many buckets of water, or

this many hundreds of buckets of water, or

this many thousands of buckets of water, or

this many hundreds of thousands buckets of water.”

 

It can only be understood as an incalculable,

Immeasurable great mass of merit.

 

Similarly, monks,

when an offering is complete in these six aspects

It is not easy to grasp the amount of merit thinking:

 

“‘Just this much’ is the overflowing [river] of merit…”

 

But it can only be understood as an incalculable,

Immeasurable great mass of merit.

 

 

“When, prior to giving, one’s mind is uplifted,

While giving, one’s mind is serene and confident;

And after the offering, one rejoices;

That offering truly is successful. [4]

 

Rid of selfishness and impatience,

Rid of confusion and distraction-freed,

That is the field for offerings to be fertile;

Those mindful ones who live the Brahmic life. [5]

 

Being freshly bathed,

One gives with their own hands.

For oneself and all others,

This alms yields great fruits. [6]

 

After the wise gives in such a way,

with a mind fully confident;

That learned person is headed,

for the realms of bliss.” [7]