This is how I heard. At one time, the Blessed One was living in the city of Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Park, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. The Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, “O monks!”

“Bhante!” those monks replied.

The Blessed One said, “Monks, this cycle of rebirth is endless. The beginning of this extremely long journey cannot be discovered. These beings, hindered by lack of knowledge of the true nature of life and bound by craving, roam and wander on in this endless journey. Monks, whenever you see anyone beautiful, very rich, and happy, you can conclude, ‘We too have enjoyed comforts in the exact same way, many times in this long journey.’

“What is the reason for that? It is because, monks, this cycle of rebirth is endless. The beginning of this extremely long journey cannot be discovered. These beings, hindered by lack of knowledge of the true nature of life and bound by craving, roam and wander on in this endless journey.”

“For such a long time, monks, you have experienced various types of suffering, tragedies, and disasters. You have filled the cemetery with your dead bodies. Therefore, monks, the time has come for you to understand the meaningless nature of all conditioned things. The time has come for you to become detached from them. And the time has come for you to be liberated from them.”

“Monks, there are four kinds of streams of merit and streams of wholesomeness that generate happiness. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has unshakable confidence in the Buddha… the Dhamma… the Saṅgha… and he has the virtue loved by the noble ones… leading to concentration… These are the four kinds of streams of merit and streams of wholesomeness that generate happiness.

“When a noble disciple has these four kinds of streams of merit and streams of wholesomeness, it’s not easy to measure how much merit he has by saying, ’This is the amount of happiness generated by his stream of merit and stream of wholesomeness.’ His merit is simply incalculable, immeasurable and is vast.

“It’s like trying to measure how much water is in the ocean. It’s not easy to say how many bucketfuls, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of bucketfuls there are. It’s simply incalculable, immeasurable and is a great mass of water.

“In the same way, when a noble disciple has these four kinds of streams of merit and streams of wholesomeness, it’s not easy to measure how much merit he has by saying, ’This is the amount of happiness generated by his stream of merit and stream of wholesomeness.’ His merit simply is incalculable, immeasurable and is vast.”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Blessed One, further said,

“The great ocean which holds a huge quantity of water,
is the home to many precious gems.
All the rivers that flow through villages
finally reach the great ocean which is deep and terrifying.

“So too, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes;
and he’s a giver of beds, seats, and mats—
the streams of merit reach that wise person,
just as the rivers bring their waters to the great ocean.”

This is as I heard from the Blessed One. At one time the Blessed One was staying in the province of Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s park, at Anathapindika’s monastery. 

One day, on a road between the city of Sāvatthī and Jeta’s park, a group of boys were hitting a snake with a stick. Then early in the morning the Blessed One, having worn his robe, taken his bowl and his double robe, entered the village to collect almsfood.  He saw the group of boys on the road hitting the snake with a stick. 

Then, on realizing the true way to happiness in the world, the Blessed One spoke the following inspired verses: 

Desiring his own happiness,
whoever harms another being
who also desires happiness,
will not obtain happiness after death.

Desiring his own happiness,
if somebody does not harm other beings
who also desire happiness,
will obtain happiness after death.

This is as I heard from the Blessed One. Those days, the Blessed One was living in the province of Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Park, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. King Pasenadi of Kosala had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper floor of the royal palace. Then the king asked her, “Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.”

Then the king, coming down from the upper floor of the palace, went to the Blessed One and, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Just now, when I had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper floor of the palace, I asked her, ‘Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was asked, she said to me, ‘No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was said, I said to her, ‘No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.’”

Then, on realizing the benefit of harmlessness, the Blessed One spoke the following inspired verse:

“Searching all directions with your mind,
you find no one dearer than yourself.
It is the same for others.
Therefore, you shouldn’t harm others
if you wish for your own happiness.”

This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard:

“One thing, monks, when arising in the world, arises for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the welfare and happiness of many people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. What is that one thing? It is the unity in the community of monks. When the community of monks is united, there are no arguments with one another, there is no abuse of one another, there are no quarrels between one another, and no abandoning of one another. In this situation, those who are displeased with the path become pleased, while those already pleased become pleased all the more.”

This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:

Happiness is unity in the community of monks. Happiness is promoting the unity. Delighting in unity, established in Dhamma, he doesn’t decline supreme security from bondage, Nibbāna. By making the Sangha united, he rejoices in heaven for an eon.

This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.

This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard:

“Monks, hoping for three kinds of happiness, a wise person practices virtue. What are the three? Thinking ‘May praise come to me,’ a wise person practices virtue. Thinking ‘May wealth come to me,’ a wise person practices virtue. Thinking ‘At the break-up of the body, after death, may I be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world,’ a wise person practices virtue.

Monks, hoping for these three kinds of happiness, a wise person practices virtue.”

This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:

The wise person practices virtue hoping for three kinds of happiness: the praise of others, obtaining wealth, and rejoicing in a heavenly rebirth.

If one does no evil but associates with an evil-doer, people will suspect him of doing evil and his reputation will suffer.

The type of person one chooses for a friend, the type one associates with, is the type of person one becomes. One becomes like one’s companion.

One who associates and one who is associated with; one who makes contact and one who is contacted are like arrows coated with poison that contaminate the quiver. Fearing contamination, the wise person must not associate with evil people.

A person who wraps rotting fish with some kusa-grass makes the grass smelly. So it is with those who associate with evil-doers.

But a person who wraps powdered incense in the broad leaf of a tree makes the leaf fragrant. So it is with those who associate noble people.

Therefore, understanding one’s own outcome with the grass smeared with fish, one must not associate with evil-doers.

A wise person must associate with noble people, knowing that evil people will lead him to hell and noble people will help him reach a good destination.

This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.

Anuruddha Bhante:

Devata, your beauty shines in all directions like the bright star named Osadhi.

When you dance, beautiful divine sounds and fragrance come from your limbs. As you dance and as your hair blows, the bells in your hair play lovely music. Also, as wind blows on the garland-crown on your head it plays sweet music. Your garland-crown looks and smells beautiful like a manjusaka tree full of fragrant flowers.

Do you smell these scents? Have you seen your beauty? We now ask you, what kind of meritorious actions did you do to have gained these results?

Devata:

Bhante, in the human world I had a friend who lived in the city of Savatthi. She built a great monastery for the community of monks. I was extremely happy about that. I sincerely rejoiced in her gift and the merit that she gained. The sight of that monastery was pleasing to my eyes.

As a result of truly rejoicing in my friend’s meritorious deed, this wonderful divine mansion has appeared for me.

Due to the power of my meritorious deed, this divine mansion spreads for sixteen kilometers into the sky and shines brightly in all directions. In my mansion, there are huge rooms divided into sections.

There are lotus ponds filled with heavenly fish. The water in the pond is clear, filled with many kinds of lotuses that give off a sweet smell when the wind blows. The banks of the pond are covered with golden sand.

Inside my mansion grow all sorts of trees: rose-apples, jackfruits, palms and coconuts. I am surrounded by beautiful music and the sound of many goddesses. Even if someone sees me only in a dream they will be happy.

A mansion like mine, excellent, beautiful and gleaming, has been created for me because of my meritorious deeds. This is why we should do good actions.

Anuruddha Bhante:

Since you rejoiced in your friend’s excellent gift, you have received this beautiful mansion. Tell me what happened to your friend. Where was she reborn?

Devata:

That friend of mine offered that large monastery for the Noble Sangha. She understood the Four Noble Truths clearly and made offerings with that understanding. She was reborn in the Nimmanarati Heaven. She is now the chief queen of Sunimmita, king of that heaven. I can’t even imagine the sensual pleasures she is now enjoying because of her gift. You asked me where she was reborn, and I told you as it is.

After hearing about the results of this gift, tell others to happily give gifts to the Noble Sangha and listen to the Dhamma with minds of faith. To be born as a human is very rare, and now you have this chance.

The Supreme Buddha, with golden skin and a sweet voice, taught us this excellent way: happily give gifts to the Noble Sangha, where gifts give the best results.

The Noble Sangha has eight kinds of people grouped in four pairs. These disciples of the Buddha are worthy of gifts. Gifts given to them will be of great fruit: Stream-Enterer, Once-Returner, Non-Returner, Arahant, and the other four who are on the path to these states. The Noble Sangha is true to their purpose with concentration, wisdom, and morality.

Human beings give alms wanting to make merit. The merit they gain when giving to the Noble Sangha will bear fruitful results in their future lives.

The Noble Sangha is full of goodness and has become great. It is impossible to measure its greatness, just as it is impossible to measure the water in the ocean. Followers of the Great Hero, the Supreme Buddha, are the best kind of people, bringing light wherever they preach the Dhamma.

Those who give gifts such as food, shelter, medicine, and clothing to the whole Noble Sangha, have given their gifts correctly, have made their offerings correctly, and have made their sacrifice correctly. Those gifts are very beneficial and are praised by the Supreme Buddha, the Knower of the World.

People should always recollect the gifts they have given to the Noble Sangha. This will bring them happiness. They should completely remove the stain of stinginess. Then they can be born in heaven and be praised by the wise.