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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 21

On that occasion, [the Buddha] spoke In fact, the brahmin youth a material gift and the gift of the
this verse: “memorized this verse in the teaching. Bhikkhus, this is supreme of
“People who are constantly mindful presence of the Blessed One,” these two types of gift, namely the gift
Know their measure with the food which gives the impression that the of the teaching.
they have gotten. Buddha would have repeated the
Their feelings become attenuated; verse to enable such memorization. The superiority of
They age slowly and guard their This apparently happened even dhammadāna recurs in a verse
longevity.” though he was clearly aware that in the Dhammapada. No longer

the purpose of such memorization providing an explicit contrast to
Now at that time the brahmin youth was to earn money. material gifts, although the same
Sudassana was standing behind does appear to be implicit, the verse
King Pasenadi of Kosala. Then This episode thereby sets a fairly simply proclaims:
King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the clear precedent for evaluating The gift of the teaching surpasses
brahmin youth Sudassana: different avenues of publication. every gift.
“Come, my dear Sudassana, memorize Without in any way intending
this verse in the presence of the to discount the meritoriousness The Pāli commentaries explain
Blessed One and recite it to me when and praiseworthiness of free that the term dhammadāna can
my meal is served. I will arrange for distribution, there seems to be no stand for teaching the path to the
a hundred coins as a perpetual daily real basis for considering this to be deathless. Alternatively it can refer
grant to be given to you.” the only viable option for an author to teaching what is wholesome and
committed to ethical integrity and a what is unwholesome, blameworthy
The brahmin youth Sudassana deep respect for the Dhamma. and blameless. The commentary
said, “Yes, your majesty,” in assent on the Dhammapada illustrates the
to King Pasenadi of Kosala, This is not to endorse nature of dhammadāna by affirming
memorized this verse in the presence commercialization of the Dhamma the superiority of even a four-line
of the Blessed One, and recited it in principle, which at times can verse to the most lavish gifts of
when a meal was served to King indeed become highly objectionable. robes to Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas,
Pasenadi of Kosala. The point is only to clarify that the and arahants.
criticism of avenues of publication
In this discourse, a teaching that do not involve free distribution In a monograph study of dāna in
originally given by the Buddha is without support in the Dhamma Theravāda Buddhism, Banks
becomes an occasion for itself. Findly (2003: 59) envisions a
earning money, a hundred coins “reciprocal act of dānadhamma-
Two Types of Gifts
(kahāpaṇa) for every single day of dhammadāna” in the following form:
reciting the Buddha’s teaching at The conclusion suggested above can while donors operate under the
meal times. The Buddha does not be explored further by surveying rubric of dānadhamma, the teaching
express any reservations about this. relevant passages in the Pāli about (that is, the obligation of)
The announcement that a payment discourses and their commentaries giving, renunciants act under that
of a hundred coins will be given is on the topic of “the gift of Dhamma.” of dhammadāna, the giving of
made right in front of him, which teaching.
would have afforded an excellent Occurrences of the
opportunity to inform the king term dhammadāna often come This would fit the recurrent
that this is inappropriate, had the in contrast to “material gifts” contrast made between material
Buddha’s attitude been similar (āmisadāna). This can be exemplified gifts and gifts of the teaching,
to the reasoning of some modern with the following passage: together with the emphasis placed
critics of commercial publication. Bhikkhus, there are two types of gift: on the superiority of the latter.