The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 68: Four Kinds of Merit

There was a rich man who used to invite
all the Brahmans of the neighbourhood to his house,
and, giving them rich gifts, offered great sacrifices to the gods. [1]

And the Blessed One said:
"If a man each month repeat a thousand sacrifices
and give offerings without ceasing,
he is not equal to him who but one moment
fixes his mind upon righteousness." [2]

The world-honoured Buddha continued:
"There are four kinds of offering:
first, when the gifts are large and the merit small;
secondly, when the gifts are small and the merit small;
thirdly, when the gifts are small and the merit large;
and fourthly, when the gifts are large and the merit is also large. [3]

"The first is the cause of the deluded man
who takes away life for the purpose of sacrificing to the gods,
accompanied by carousing and feasting.
Here the gifts are great, but the merit is small indeed. [4]

"The gifts are small and the merit is also small,
when from covetousness and an evil heart a man keeps to himself
a part of that which he indends to offer. [5]

"The merit is great, however, while the gift is small,
when a man makes his offering from love
and with a desire to grow in wisdom and in kindness. [6]

"Lastly, the gift is large and the merit is large, when a wealthy man,
in an unselfish spirit and with the wisdom of a Buddha,
gives donations and founds institutions for the best of mankind
to enlighten the minds of his fellow-men and to administer unto their needs." [7]

Continue Reading

• The Gospel of Buddha: Preface
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 01: Rejoice
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 02: Samsara and Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 03: Truth the Saviour
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 04: The Bodhisatta's Birth
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 05: The Ties of Life
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 06: The Three Woes
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 07: The Bodhisatta's Renunciation
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 08: King Bimbisara
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 09: The Bodhisatta's Search
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 10: Uruvela, the Place of Mortification
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 11: Mara, the Evil One
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 12: Enlightenment
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 13: The First Converts
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 14: Brahma's Request
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 15: Upaka
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 16: The Sermon at Benares
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 17: The Sangha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 18: Yasa, the Youth of Benares
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 19: Kassapa
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 20: The Sermon at Rajagaha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 21: The King's Gift
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 22: Sariputta and Moggallana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 23: Anathapindika
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 24: The Sermon on Charity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 25: Jetavana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 26: The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 27: The Buddha's Father
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 28: Yasodhara
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 29: Rahula
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 30: Jivaka, the Physician
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 31: The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 32: Women Admitted to the Sangha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 33: The Bhikkhus' Conduct Toward Women
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 34: Visakha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 35: The Uposatha and Patimokkha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 36: The Schism
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 37: The Re-establishment of Concord
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 38: The Bhikkhus Rebuked
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 39: Devadatta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 40: Name and Form
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 41: The Goal
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 42: Miracles Forbidden
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 43: The Vanity of Worldliness
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 44: Secrecy and Publicity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 45: The Annihilation of Suffering
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 46: Avoiding the Ten Evils
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 47: The Preacher's Mission
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 48: The Dhammapada
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 49: The Two Brahmans
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 50: Guard the Six Quarters
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 51: Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 52: All Existence is Spiritual
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 53: Identity and Non-Identity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 54: The Buddha Omnipresent
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 55: One Essence, One Law, One Aim
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 56: The Lesson Given to Rahula
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 57: The Sermon on Abuse
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 58: The Buddha Replies to the Deva
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 59: Words of Instruction
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 60: Amitabha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 61: The Teacher Unknown
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 62: Parables
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 63: The Widow's Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 64: The Man Born Blind
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 65: The Lost Son
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 66: The Giddy Fish
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 67: The Cruel Crane Outwitted
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 68: Four Kinds of Merit
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 69: The Light of the World
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 70: Luxurious Living
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 71: The Communication of Bliss
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 72: The Listless Fool
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 73: Rescue in the Desert
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 74: The Sower
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 75: The Outcast
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 76: The Woman at the Well
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 77: The Peacemaker
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 78: The Hungry Dog
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 79: The Despot
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 80: Vasavadatta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 81: The Marriage-Feast in Jambunada
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 82: A Party in Search of a Thief
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 83: In the Realm of Yamaraja
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 84: The Mustard Seed
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 85: Following the Master Over the Stream
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 86: The Sick Bhikkhu
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 87: The Patient Elephant
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 88: The Conditions of Welfare
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 89: Sariputta's Faith
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 90: Pataliputta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 91: The Mirror of Truth
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 92: Ambapali
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 93: The Buddha's Farewell Address
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 94: The Buddha Announces His Death
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 95: Chunda, the Smith
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 96: Metteyya
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 97: The Buddha's Final Entering into Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 98: The Three Personalities of the Buddha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 99: The Purpose of Being
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 100: The Praise of All the Buddhas

Source

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