Giving Brings Immeasurable Merit

The Venerable Maudgalyāyana’s younger brother was a wealthy elder of the city, with gold, silver, treasures, servants, and maidservants too numerous to count. One day, the Venerable visited his home to guide him toward the Dharma: “Younger brother, I’ve heard you’re not keen on giving. But the Buddha often teaches that those who take joy in generous giving will surely gain immeasurable merit. If you start practicing giving widely from now on, your karmic reward will be beyond measure.”

The elder was deeply moved, so he began giving widely to help those in need. He even built many extra storehouses, planning to store the merit his generosity would bring.

A few days later, the elder’s wealth was nearly depleted from all his giving, but he had yet to see any reward. Frustrated, he went to find the Venerable Maudgalyāyana: “Earlier, I heard you say giving brings great karmic reward, so I didn’t dare to ignore your advice. I worked hard to help everyone in need. Now all my treasures are gone, and I have nothing to show for it. Are your teachings wrong?”

The Venerable answered: “Don’t say that. Everything I told you is completely true. If we tried to describe the merit you’ve accumulated with a concrete image, even the vast sky could not hold it. Now I’ll show you the karmic reward your giving has already brought you.”

With that, the Venerable Maudgalyāyana used his supernatural powers to transport the elder to the sixth heaven of the desire realm. The palaces there were crafted from the seven precious substances, extraordinarily magnificent. The bathing pools at the front and back of the palaces wafted a soft, constant fragrance, and the storehouses held treasures too numerous to count. All the servants and attendants were dignified celestial maidens, numbering as many as ten million.

When the elder saw this wondrous sight, he was puzzled, and asked the Venerable Maudgalyāyana: “Why does this grand palace have only celestial maidens, and no men at all?” The Venerable told him to ask them himself, and he would get his answer.

So the elder asked the goddesses: “Who has such great karmic merit that they are entitled to enjoy all that is here?” The goddesses replied: “In Jambudvīpa, within the borders of Kapilavastu, the Venerable Maudgalyāyana — foremost among Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciples in supernatural powers — has a younger brother who is a most virtuous and wealthy elder. He is always joyful in giving, and helps the poor. After he passes away, he will be reborn in this heaven to become our master, and enjoy all that is here.”

When the elder heard this, his wholesome intentions grew stronger. He immediately repented to the Venerable for the doubts and unwholesome thoughts he had held earlier. After returning to the human world, he gave even more diligently, dedicated himself to cultivating both merit and wisdom, and never grew weary of the practice. This confirms that the teaching that giving brings immeasurable merit is completely true, not a falsehood.

Reflection

If anger and resentment fester in the mind, it is like holding poison inside the body: you constantly look for others’ faults, and disrupt the good deeds of those around you. The wealthy elder did not understand the profound karmic causes and conditions at play, so when hardship struck after he gave generously, he gave rise to doubt and resentment. He was fortunate to have the Venerable’s guidance: when a single wholesome thought arose in him, he felt ashamed and repented, ultimately cutting off the stream of afflictions so it would never rise again.