THE FOUR KINDS OF PURIFICATION OF OFFERING by the Most Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw

There are four kinds of purification of offering. What are the four? They are:

[1] There is the offering that is purified by the giver, but not the receiver.
[2] There is the offering that is purified by the receiver, but not the giver.
[3] There is the offering that is purified by neither the giver nor the receiver.
[4] There is the offering that is purified by both the giver and the receiver.

[1] What is the offering that is purified by the giver, but not the receiver? Here the giver is virtuous, of good character, and the receiver is immoral, of evil character. Thus, the offering is purified by the giver, but not the receiver.
[2] What is the offering that is purified by the receiver, but not the giver? Here the giver is immoral, of evil character, and the receiver is virtuous, of good character. Thus, the offering is purified by the receiver, but not the giver.
[3] What is the offering that is purified by neither the giver nor the receiver? Here the giver is immoral, of evil character, and the receiver too is immoral, of evil character.Thus, the offering is purified by neither the giver nor the receiver.
[4] What is the offering that is purified by both the giver and the receiver? Here the giver is virtuous, of good character, and the receiver too is virtuous, of good character. Thus, the offering is purified by both the giver and the receiver.

These are the four kinds of purification of offering. The Buddha explained further:

When a virtuous person to an immoral person gives, with clear and taintless mind a gift that has been righteously obtained, placing faith in that the fruit of kamma is great, the giver's virtue purifies the offering.

To get superior benefits, the giver should fulfil the four conditions. Because then, although the receiver is an immoral person, the offering is purified by the giver. The commentary mentions the case of Vessantara. Our Bodhisatta in a past life as Vessantara, offered his son and daughter (the future Ràhula and Uppalavaõõà) to Jåjaka Bràhmaõa, who was immoral, of evil character. That offering was the final one for Vessantara's generosity pàramã to be fulfilled. After fulfilling this last pàramã, he was ready to attain enlightenment: He had only to wait for the time to mature. Because of this generosity pàramã, and other previous pàramã, he was now certain to attain Omniscient Knowledge (Sabba¤¤uta . So we can say that the offering was a support for his attaining enlightenment. It was purified by Vessantara. At that time Vessantara was virtuous, of good character. His offering had been rightly obtained. His mind was clear and taintless, because he had only one desire: to attain enlightenment. He had strong enough faith in the Law of Kamma and its results. So the offering was purified by the giver.

An offering is purified by the receiver, when an immoral person, whose mind is unclear, full of attachment, hatred, etc., who has no faith in the Law of Kamma, makes an unrighteously obtained offering to a virtuous person. The commentary mentions the case of a fisherman. A fisherman living near the mouth of the Kalyàõã River in Sri Lanka, had three times offered almsfood to a Mahàthera who was an Arahant. At the time near death, the fisherman remembered his offerings to that Mahàthera. Good signs of a deva realm appeared in his mind, so before he died he said to his relatives, `That Mahàthera saved me.' After death he went to a deva realm. In this case the fisherman was immoral and of bad character, but the receiver was virtuous. So the offering was purified by the receiver.

An offering is purified by neither the giver nor the receiver, when an immoral person, whose mind is unclear, full of attachment, hatred, etc., who has no faith in the Law of Kamma, makes an unrighteously obtained offering to an immoral person. The commentary mentions the case of a hunter. When he died, he went to the peta realm. Then his wife offered almsfood on his behalf, to a bhikkhu who was immoral, of bad character; so the peta could not call out, `It is good (sàdhu)'. Why? The giver too was immoral, and not virtuous, because she had, as the wife of a hunter, accompanied him when he killed animals. Also, her offering had been unrighteously obtained, as it was acquired through killing animals. Her mind was unclear because had it been clear and understanding, she would not have accompanied her husband. She did not have enough faith in the Law of Kamma and its results, because had she had enough faith in the Law of Kamma, she would never have killed beings. Since the receiver too was immoral, of bad character, the offering could be purified by neither giver nor receiver. She offered almsfood in the same way three times, and no good result occured; so the peta shouted, `An immoral person has three times stolen my wealth.' Then she offered almsfood to a virtuous bhikkhu, who then purified the offering. At that time the peta could call out `It is good'(Sàdhu!), and escape from the peta realm.

(Here we should like to say to the audience; if you want good results from offering you should fulfil the following four conditions:
1)You must be virtuous,
2)Your offering must have been righteously obtained,
3)Your mind must be clear and taintless,
4)You must have strong enough faith in the Law of Kamma and its results.

Furthermore, if you are the receiver, and your loving-kindness and compassion for the giver is strong enough, you should also be virtuous. If your virtue is accompanied by jhàna and vipassanà knowledge, it is much better. Why? This kind of offering can produce better results for the giver.)

Now, please note the next kind of offering, the fourth kind of purification of an offering: an offering that is purified by both the giver and the receiver.

In that case, the giver has fulfilled the four conditions:
1)The giver is virtuous,
2)The giver's offering has been righteously obtained,
3)The giver's mind is clear and taintless,
4)The giver has strong enough faith in the Law of Kamma and its results, and the receiver too is virtuous.

As for this kind of offering, The Buddha said: ânanda, I say, this kind of offering will come to full fruition.

This offering can produce incalculable, immeasurable results. If the receiver's virtue is accompanied by jhàna, vipassanà knowledge, or Path and Fruition Knowledges, then the virtue of the offering is superior.