Gifts of a True Person
A short discourse on five gifts of a true person: giving out of faith, giving carefully, giving at the right time, giving with no strings attached, and giving without damaging oneself or others. For each, the text describes a result: the giver becomes wealthy wherever the result appears, and in addition gains something particular. Faith brings good looks; care brings a household that listens; timeliness brings needs met at the right time; no strings brings a mind that enjoys refined pleasures; and harmlessness means property is not lost to fire, flood, rulers, bandits, or unloved heirs. The text does not say to whom it was spoken.
A note on this text. Describes the results of giving as future wealth and beauty ‘wherever the result manifests’, a way of speaking about the results of deeds that is not explained.
The full text
Numbered Discourses 5.148 · 15. At Tikaṇḍakī · Gifts of a True Person · translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 1 min · on SuttaCentral
“There are these five gifts of a true person. What five? They give a gift out of faith. They give a gift carefully. They give a gift at the right time. They give a gift with no strings attached. They give a gift without damaging themselves or others.
Having given a gift out of faith, in whatever place the result of that gift manifests they become rich, affluent, and wealthy. And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty.
Having given a gift carefully, in whatever place the result of that gift manifests they become rich, affluent, and wealthy. And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand.
Having given a gift at the right time, in whatever place the result of that gift manifests they become rich, affluent, and wealthy. And when the time is right, their needs are amply satisfied.
Having given a gift with no strings attached, in whatever place the result of that gift manifests they become rich, affluent, and wealthy. And their mind tends to enjoy the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.
Having given a gift without damaging themselves or others, in whatever place the result of that gift manifests they become rich, affluent, and wealthy. And no damage comes to their property from anywhere, whether fire, flood, rulers, bandits, or unloved heirs. These are the five gifts of a true person.”