SA 1232（一二三二） 悭

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time King Prasenajit came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side. He said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! In this Śrāvastī there is an elder named Mahānāma, who is wealthy and has a great store of gold coins, up to hundreds of thousands of millions. Not to mention other wealth! World-Honored One! Elder Mahānāma is so wealthy, yet he eats coarse and broken rice, bean soup, and rotten ginger. He wears coarse hempen clothes, single leather sandals, rides a worn-out cart, and holds a tree leaf umbrella. I have never heard of him making offerings and giving to śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, providing for the poor and suffering, those who are exhausted on the road, and beggars. He closes the door while eating, not wanting śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the poor, those traveling on the road, and beggars to see it.”

The Buddha told King Prasenajit, “This is not a true hero. Having obtained superior wealth, he does not enjoy it himself. He does not know how to make offerings to his parents, provide for his wife, children, relatives, and attendants, care for his servants, give to his acquaintances, or provide for śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas in a timely manner. He does not plant superior fields of merit, honor superior places, and experience long-lasting peace and happiness in the future. Having obtained superior wealth, he does not know how to use it extensively and reap great benefits. Great King! It is like a pond in a vast wilderness that collects water but is not used for bathing or drinking. It will then evaporate and dry up in the marsh. In the same way, an unskillful person obtains superior wealth but does not know how to extensively enjoy it and reap great benefits, like the water in that pond.

"Great King! There are good sons who obtain superior wealth and enjoy happiness. They make offerings to their parents, provide for their wives, children, relatives, and attendants, care for their servants, give to their acquaintances, and make timely offerings to śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. They plant superior fields of merit, honor superior places, and are reborn in heaven in the future. Having obtained superior wealth, they are able to extensively enjoy it and reap even greater benefits. It is like, Great King! There is a pond near a village or city, clear and cool, shaded by trees, bringing people happiness and enjoyed by many, even by birds and beasts. In the same way, good sons obtain superior wealth, enjoy it themselves, make offerings to their parents, and extensively reap great benefits by planting superior fields of merit." At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse, saying:

The water in a pond in a vast wilderness is clear, cool
and extremely pure, but if no one uses it, it will evaporate
and dry up. In the same way, superior wealth is obtained by
evil men, but they are unable to enjoy it themselves or provide
for others. They only suffer from accumulating it, and after accumulating it
they lose it. The wise obtain superior wealth and are able to
enjoy it themselves. They make extensive offerings and perform meritorious deeds, as
well as providing for their relatives and attendants, giving according to their
needs, like a bull leading the herd. Giving and enjoying without losing
what is appropriate, they die in accordance with principle and are reborn
in heaven to enjoy blessings and happiness.

Having spoken this sūtra, King Prasenajit, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and paid homage before departing.