AN 4.61: Donations to those in need not considered "deserved and worthy"?

Discussion
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I was reading AN 4.61 this morning in which the Buddha talks about how to use your wealth:

There are four fitting deeds a noble disciple does with the legitimate wealth he has earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow. What four?

To start with, with his legitimate wealth he makes himself happy and pleased, keeping himself properly happy. He makes his mother and father happy … He makes his children, partners, bondservants, workers, and staff happy … He makes his friends and colleagues happy … This is his first expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause.

Furthermore, with his legitimate wealth he defends himself against threats from such things as fire, flood, rulers, bandits, or unloved heirs. He keeps himself safe. This is his second expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause.

Furthermore, with his legitimate wealth he makes five spirit-offerings: to relatives, guests, ancestors, king, and deities. This is his third expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause.

Furthermore, with his legitimate wealth he establishes an uplifting religious donation for ascetics and brahmins—those who refrain from intoxication and negligence, are settled in patience and sweetness, and who tame, calm, and extinguish themselves—that’s conducive to heaven, ripens in happiness, and leads to heaven. This is his fourth expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause.

'These are the four fitting deeds that a noble disciple does with the legitimate wealth he has earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow.

Whatever wealth is spent on something other than these four fitting deeds is said to not be expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause…

The Buddha includes taking care of those who depend on you, but he doesn’t mention anything about taking care of those who don’t necessarily “depend” on you but need help i.e the sick, the mentally ill, the homeless.

Would donating money to causes that help these people really not be considered something in “an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause?”

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" The suttas also describe the person to whom alms should be given (A.iii, 41). Guests, travelers and the sick should be treated with hospitality and due consideration. During famines the needy should be liberally entertained. The virtuous should be first entertained with the first fruits of fresh crops. There is a recurrent phrase in the suttas (D.i, 137; ii,354; iii,76) describing those who are particularly in need of public generosity. They are recluses (samana), brahmans (brahmana), destitutes (kapana), wayfarers (addhika), wanderers (vanibbaka) and beggars (yacaka). The recluses and brahmans are religious persons who do not earn wages. They give spiritual guidance to the laity and the laity is expected to support them. The poor need the help of the rich to survive and the rich become spiritually richer by helping the poor. At a time when transport facilities were meager and amenities for travelers were not adequately organized, the public had to step in to help the wayfarer. Buddhism considers it a person’s moral obligation to give assistance to all these types of people."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html

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We can’t expect every sutta to give an exhaustive analysis of every permutation of everything. See this recent discussion.

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Thanks, that is helpful. I figured there were more suttas that talked about generosity towards those in need but I couldn’t recall the Buddha mentioning it anywhere else.

@Snowbird I can see that, but the sutta does say “Whatever wealth is spent on something other than these four fitting deeds is said to not be expenditure in an appropriate sphere on a deserved and fitting cause” which seems like it makes these things exclusively the appropriate ways to spend wealth. Of course, I think the Buddha praised generosity generally, so taking things too literally is probably not appropriate.

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I suppose one inclined to charity could argue that it is a matter of extending their circle of concern: stretching their metta to include “friends and colleagues” they’ve never met.

But I personally would probably place charity in this bucket.

I’m thinking, for example, of traditional Chinese offerings to deities and ancestors. They build and maintain a local shrine, perhaps with a park or other public facilities around it. Many cultures will make large offerings of food “to a deity” … which then gets enjoyed by the whole community.

And, again, if we stretch our concern, we can consider e.g. refugees as “guests” or, indeed, all living beings as “relatives” :blush:

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@jusnic A relevant sutta is iti75, where the Buddha compares people with clouds.

It’s quite a beautiful metaphor.

The most praiseworthy person is the one who gives to all in need, regardless of personal connection or obligation (the cloud “raining all over” - “drenching the earth with water, soaking the uplands and valleys”).

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I seem to recall hearing one time something along the lines of “give wherever/whenever your heart feels inspired to give.” I don’t know if the source is from the Pali Canon, commentaries, or a contemporary Dhamma talk or spiritual teaching. If anyone knows the source, would they kindly post it here?

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https://suttacentral.net/sn3.24/en/sujato

You can find it in the CIPS under giving (dāna) > “whom to give to” along with a bunch of other suttas.

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@Snowbird Exactly the one I was thinking of, thank you! From that sutta, some excerpts relevant to this thread:

Where a gift should be given is one thing, great king, but where a gift is very fruitful is another. A gift is very fruitful when it’s given to an ethical person, not so much to an unethical person.

You should build lovely hermitages
and settle learned people in them.
You should set up water supplies in barren regions
and passages in places hard to travel.

Some more suttas on the theme of generosity

AN 7.52

This sutta may be one of the most important on the theme of generosity because it instructs the practitioner about the right attitude they should have toward giving (emphasis added)

At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond.

Then several lay followers of Campā went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, it’s been a long time since we’ve heard a Dhamma talk from the Buddha. It would be good if we got to hear a Dhamma talk from the Buddha.”

“Well then, reverends, come on the next sabbath day. Hopefully you’ll get to hear a Dhamma talk from the Buddha.”

“Yes, sir” they replied. Then they rose from their seats, bowed to Sāriputta, and respectfully circled him before leaving.

Then on the next sabbath the lay followers of Campā went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, and stood to one side. Then they went together with Sāriputta to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

“Sir, could it be that someone gives a gift and it is not very fruitful or beneficial, while someone else gives exactly the same gift and it is very fruitful and beneficial?”

“Indeed it could, Sāriputta.”

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason for this?”

“Sāriputta, take the case of a someone who gives a gift as an investment, their mind tied to it, expecting to keep it, thinking ‘I’ll enjoy this in my next life’. They give to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. What do you think, Sāriputta, don’t some people give gifts in this way?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sāriputta, someone who gives a gift as an investment, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of the four great kings. When that deed, success, fame, and sovereignty is spent they return to this place.

Next, take the case of a someone who gives a gift not as an investment, their mind not tied to it, not expecting to keep it, and not thinking, ‘I’ll enjoy this in my next life’. But they give a gift thinking, ‘It’s good to give’ …

They give a gift thinking, ‘Giving was practiced by my father and my father’s father. It would not be right for me to abandon this family tradition.’ …

They give a gift thinking, ‘I cook, they don’t. It wouldn’t be right for me to not give to them.’ …

They give a gift thinking, ‘The ancient brahmin seers were Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu. Just as they performed great sacrifices, I will share a gift.’ …

They give a gift thinking, ‘When giving this gift my mind becomes clear, and I become happy and joyful.’ …

They don’t give a gift thinking, ‘When giving this gift my mind becomes clear, and I become happy and joyful.’ But they give a gift thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind.’ They give to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. What do you think, Sāriputta, don’t some people give gifts in this way?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sāriputta, someone who gives gifts, not for any other reason, but thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind’, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn among the gods of the Divinity’s host. When that deed, success, fame, and sovereignty is spent they are a non-returner; they do not return to this place.

This is the cause, this is the reason why someone gives a gift and it is not very fruitful or beneficial, while someone else gives exactly the same gift and it is very fruitful and beneficial.”

AN 4.61 (excerpt)

The attitude those of us who are householders should strive to have.

And what is accomplishment in generosity? It’s when a noble disciple lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. This is called accomplishment in generosity.

Iti 26 (excerpt)

A powerful teaching on the Lord Buddha’s incomparable knowledge and the importance of giving and sharing.

“Mendicants, if sentient beings only knew, as I do, the fruit of giving and sharing, they would not eat without first giving, and the stain of stinginess would not occupy their minds. They would not eat without sharing even their last mouthful, their last morsel, so long as there was someone to receive it. It is because sentient beings do not know, as I do, the fruit of giving and sharing, that they eat without first giving, and the stain of stinginess occupies their minds.”

With the Teachings provided so far, I think we can summarize a few points about generosity.

  • Giving is good for both oneself and others
  • Gifts should be given wherever you feel inspired to do so
  • To be most fruitful, gifts should be given with the thought that it is an ornament/adornment/support/requisite for the mind
  • Giving to a virtuous person is more fruitful than giving to an unvirtuous person (I would note that the attitude/thought just above should be the same regardless of who is being given to)
  • Giving/building things that are useful for the public is encouraged
  • Giving should be done often, even as often as before every meal
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