At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā, in the Forest of Offerings. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants!” “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this: Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Mendicants, take the case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village. “Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā upanissāya viharati. A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal. Tamenaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti. The mendicant accepts if they want. Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti. When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder’s home, where they sit on the seat spread out. So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati. The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. Tamenaṁ so gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

The mendicant thinks: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘It’s so good that this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’ ‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti. Then they think: Evampissa hoti: ‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’ ‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti. They eat that food tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. They think about it with sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. So tattha kāmavitakkampi vitakketi, byāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, vihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi. A gift to such a mendicant is not very fruitful, I say. Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ na mahapphalanti vadāmi. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because that mendicant is negligent. Pamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharati.

Take another case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village. Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā upanissāya viharati. A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal. Tamenaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti. The mendicant accepts if they want. Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti. When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder’s home, where they sit on the seat spread out. So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati. The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. Tamenaṁ so gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

It never occurs to them: Tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘It’s so good that the householder or their child serves and satisfies me with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’ ‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti. They don’t think: Evampissa na hoti: ‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’ ‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti. They eat that almsfood untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape. So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. They think about it with thoughts of renunciation, good will, or harmlessness. So tattha nekkhammavitakkampi vitakketi, abyāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, avihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi. A gift to such a mendicant is very fruitful, I say. Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ mahapphalanti vadāmi. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because that mendicant is diligent.” Appamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharatī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.