Habits of Giving

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts][bodh] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time the Lucky Man Sāvatthī-town residing,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the The Lucky Man said this to the beggars:

"Beggars!"

"Bhante!" they replied, and the Lucky Man said:

"There are, beggars, eight habits of giving.

What eight?

Giving gifts wanting.

Giving gifts angry.

Giving gifts stupefied.

Giving gifts fearful.

Giving gifts thinking:

'My ancestors previously gave,
previously served,
ignoble of me it would be,
to abandon ancient family tradition.'

Giving gifts thinking:

'Having given gifts,
when the body breaks up after death
one arises in a pleasant heavenly world.'

Giving gifts thinking:

'This my giving of gifts
pacifies the heart,
uplifts the mind
and gives rise to mental ease.'

Giving gifts because it is part of everything that belongs to beautification of the heart.

These then, beggars, are the eight habits of giving."