The story of the appearance of another young deva while Buddha was staying at Savatthi shows the importance Buddha placed upon distributing and not hoarding one’s wealth. It is a recurrent theme in stories and sutras -- if you possess, then you can lose.

This is not a teaching that promotes the idea that there is a natural benevolent love and compassion that cannot be denied once the door to one’s nature is opened, but it was an effective teaching concept for those who indeed had an abundance of wealth.

It is certain that the greedy mind that seeks gain and possession to maintain psychological security or power suffers. In this suffering, there is present both a craving that is never satisfied and an attitude of clinging, which results in a strong fear of losing what is possessed. Buddha Dharma offers a greater gain to those who give what has been acquired.

In fact, it is an interesting guide to correct livelihood that one should work for what one needs and, with any excess, help others receive what they need. This is the root of the communist idea, of course, which declares “from each according to his ability to give, to each according to his need.” This idea, unfortunately, is seldom considered appropriate in a consumer world, and most giving in a Buddhist seminary or temple is considered payment for what is received. This is a grave error that is not always rectified by the masters who are on the receiving end.

WEALTH

Samyutta Nikaya I .41

Aditta Sutra

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then a certain devata, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta's Grove, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As she was standing there, she recited these verses in the Blessed One's presence:

When a house is on fire, the vessel saved,

not the one left there to burn, is the one that will be of use.

So when the world is on fire with aging and death,

one should save by giving: what's given is well saved.

What's given bears fruit as pleasure.

What's not given does not:

thieves or kings take it away; it gets burnt or lost.

In the end one leaves the body

together with all one's possessions.

Knowing this, the intelligent man

enjoys his possessions by giving.

Having enjoyed and given in line with his means,

un-censured he goes to the heavenly state.

Buddha was very careful about not making statements that could be mistakenly construed when it came to actual practice, although the door is less firmly closed with regard to the intellectual aspects of Buddhism. As a result, we find that he makes sure that we know that there are different sorts of gifts and that some are more beneficial than others.

WHAT GIFTS ARE TRULY BENEFICIAL

Samyutta Nikaya I.42

Kindada Sutra

A deva asks:

A giver of what is a giver of strength?

A giver of what, a giver of beauty?

A giver of what, a giver of ease?

A giver of what, a giver of vision?

And who is a giver of everything?

Being asked, please explain this to me.

Buddha replies:

A giver of food is a giver of strength.

A giver of clothes, a giver of beauty.

A giver of a vehicle, a giver of ease.

A giver of a lamp, a giver of vision.

And the one who gives a residence,

is the one who is a giver of everything.

But the one who teaches the Dhamma

is a giver of the Deathless

             Anyone who really is upon a True Dharma Path must become a Giver of Deathlessness.

WHERE SHOULD A GIFT BE GIVEN

Samyutta Nikaya III.24

Issattha Sutra

Archery Skills

At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One:

  "Where, lord, should a gift be given?"

 "Wherever the mind feels confidence, great king."

 "But a gift given where, lord, bears great fruit?"

"This (your first question) is one thing, great king -- 'Where should a gift be given?' -- while this (the better question)-- 'A gift given where bears great fruit?' -- is something else entirely.

What is given to a virtuous person -- rather than to an un-virtuous one -- bears great fruit.

In this case, great king, I will ask you a counter-question. Answer as you see fit.

"What do you think, great king?

"There is the case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A noble-warrior youth would come along -- untrained, unpracticed, undisciplined, un-drilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"

"No, lord, I wouldn't take him on. I wouldn't have any use for a man like that."

"Then a Brahmin youth... a merchant youth... a laborer youth would come along -- untrained, unpracticed, undisciplined, un-drilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"

"No, lord, I wouldn't take him on. I wouldn't have any use for a man like that."

"Now, what do you think, great king? There is the case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A noble-warrior youth would come along -- trained, practiced, disciplined, drilled, fearless, not terrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"

"Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use for a man like that."

"Then a Brahmin youth... a merchant youth... a laborer youth would come along -- trained, practiced, disciplined, drilled, fearless, not terrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"

"Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use for a man like that."

"In the same way, great king. When someone has gone forth from the home life into homelessness -- no matter from what clan -- and he has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five, what is given to him bears great fruit.

"And which five factors has he abandoned? He has abandoned sensual desire... ill will... torpor and lethargy... estlessness and anxiety... uncertainty. These are the five factors he has abandoned. And with which five factors is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate of virtue of one beyond training... the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training... the aggregate of discernment of one beyond training... the aggregate of release of one beyond training... the aggregate of knowledge and vision of release of one beyond training. These are the five factors with which he is endowed.

"What is given to one who has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five factors in this way bears great fruit."

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

"As a king intent on battle would hire a youth

in whom there are archery skills, persistence, and strength,

and not, on the basis of birth, a coward;

so, too, you should honor a person of noble conduct, wise,

in whom are established composure and patience,

even though his birth may be lowly.

Let donors build pleasant hermitages

and there invite the learned to stay.

Let them make reservoirs in dry forests

and walking paths where it's rough

Let them, with a clear, calm awareness,

give food, drink, snacks, clothing, and lodgings

to those who've become straightforward.

Just as a hundred-peaked, lightning-garlanded,

thundering cloud, raining on the fertile earth,

fills the plateaus and gullies, even so

a person of conviction and learning, wise,

having stored up provisions,

satisfies wayfarers with food and drink.

Delighting in distributing alms, Give to them!

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 Give!' he says.

That is his thunder, like a raining cloud's.

That shower of merit, abundant,

rains back on the one who gives."