The Perfection of Giving (4th)

“In the city of Kusāvatī,

when I was Lord of the Earth,

my name was Sudassana the Great,

a wheel-turning monarch of great power.

There, thrice a day,

I declared in one place or another:

‘Who needs what? Who wants what?

To whom ought riches be given?

Who needs an umbrella? Who is thirsty?

Who a garland? Who some makeup?

What person, being naked,

and will put on colorful clothes?

Who will take an umbrella on a highway,

who needs sandals, soft and pretty?’

Thus I had it proclaimed everywhere

morning and night.

It was not just in ten places,

or even a hundred,

but in many hundreds of places

riches were prepared for supplicants.

By day or by night

if a supplicant comes,

then having gotten all he wants,

he leaves with full hands.

I gave great gifts like this

for my whole life.

I did not give because I disliked riches,

or because I had a store set aside.

Suppose a person is sick.

In order to be free of sickness

having compensated the doctor with money,

they become freed from sickness.

Thus I, knowingly,

in order to fulfill without remainder,

to fulfill what is lacking,

gave gifts to supplicants

without clinging or reward,

for the attainment of awakening.”