This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard:
“Monks, if people knew as I know the results of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given nor would the stain of stinginess overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there was someone to share it with. But, monks, because people do not know as I know the results of giving and sharing, they eat without having given. The stain of stinginess overcomes their minds.”
This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:
If people only knew—
so taught the Great Sage—
how the result of sharing has such great fruit,
then people would subdue the stain of stinginess
and with pleased minds
they would give gifts in proper occasion
to the noble ones where a gift bears great fruit.Having given much food as offerings
to those most worthy of offerings,
the donors go to heaven
when they pass away from here,
the human state.Having gone to heaven,
they rejoice and enjoy divine pleasures as they desire.
The generous people experience
the result of generously sharing with others.
This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.
Read this translation of Itivuttaka 26 Dānasaṁvibhāga Sutta: Giving and Sharing by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.