Numbered Discourses 4.78

1. Sure Bet

A Religious Donation

“Mendicants, there are these four ways of purifying a religious donation.

What four?

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the giver, not the recipient.

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the recipient, not the giver.

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by neither the giver nor the recipient.

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by both the giver and the recipient.

And how is a religious donation purified by the giver, not the recipient?

It’s when the giver is ethical, of good character, but the recipient is unethical, of bad character.

And how is a religious donation purified by the recipient, not the giver?

It’s when the giver is unethical, of bad character, but the recipient is ethical, of good character.

And how is a religious donation purified by neither the giver nor the recipient?

It’s when both the giver and the recipient are unethical, of bad character.

And how is a religious donation purified by both the giver and the recipient?

It’s when both the giver and the recipient are ethical, of good character.

These are the four ways of purifying a religious donation.”