Stingy

The Buddha's words

Maccharisutta SN 1.49 https://suttacentral.net/sn1.49

Photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash

A devatā:

“Those who are stingy here in the world,

Niggardly folk, revilers,

People who create obstacles

For others engaged in giving alms:

161 What kind of result do they reap?

What kind of future destiny?

We’ve come to ask the Blessed One this:

How are we to understand it?”

The Blessed One:

“Those who are stingy here in the world,

Niggardly folk, revilers,

People who create obstacles

For others engaged in giving alms:

They might be reborn in hell,

In the animal realm or Yama’s world.

“If they come back to the human state

They are born in a poor family

Where clothes, food, pleasures, and sport

Are obtained only with difficulty.

“Whatever the fools may expect from others,

Even that they do not obtain.

This is the result in this very life;

And in the future a bad destination.”

A devatā:

“We understand thus what you have said;

We ask, O Gotama, another question:

Those here who, on gaining the human state,

Are amiable and generous,

Confident in the Buddha and the Dhamma

And deeply respectful towards the Saṅgha:

What kind of result do they reap?

What kind of future destiny?

We’ve come to ask the Blessed One this:

How are we to understand it?”

The Blessed One:

“Those here who, on gaining the human state,

Are amiable and generous,

Confident in the Buddha and the Dhamma

And deeply respectful towards the Saṅgha,

These brighten up the heavens

Where they’ve been reborn.

“If they come back to the human state

They are reborn in a rich family

Where clothes, food, pleasures, and sport

Are obtained without difficulty.

“They rejoice like the devas who control

The goods amassed by others.

This is the result in this very life;

And in the future a good destination.”