“And what is the treasure of generosity? There is the case of a
disciple of the noble ones, his awareness cleansed of the stain of
stinginess, living at home, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in
being magnanimous, responsive to requests, delighting in the
distribution of alms. This is called the treasure of generosity.”

— AN 7.6

“Without abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering & remaining in the first jhana… the second jhana… the third jhana… the fourth jhana; incapable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry…
the fruit of once-returning… the fruit of non-returning…
arahantship. Which five? Stinginess as to one’s monastery [lodgings],
stinginess as to one’s family [of supporters], stinginess as to one’s
gains, stinginess as to one’s status, and ingratitude. Without
abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering &
remaining in the second jhana… the third jhana… the fourth jhana;
one is incapable realizing the fruit of stream-entry… the fruit of
once-returning… the fruit of non-returning… arahantship.

“With the abandoning of these five qualities, one is capable of
entering & remaining in the second jhana… the third jhana… the
fourth jhana; capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry… the
fruit of once-returning… the fruit of non-returning… arahantship…”

— AN 5.258-259

“These are the five rewards of generosity: One is dear and appealing
to people at large, one is admired by good people, one’s good name is
spread about, one does not stray from the rightful duties of the
householder, and with the break-up of the body at death, one reappears
in a good destination, in the heavenly worlds.”

— AN 5.35

[The Buddha:] “Then there is the case where a certain person refrains
from taking life, refrains from taking what is not given, refrains from
sensual misconduct, refrains from false speech, refrains from divisive
speech, refrains from abusive speech, refrains from idle chatter, is not
covetous, bears no ill will, and has right views. And he gives food,
drink, cloth, vehicles, garlands, scents, creams, bed, lodging, &
lamps to priests & contemplatives. With the break-up of the body,
after death, he reappears in the company of human beings. There he
experiences the five strings of human sensuality [delightful sights,
sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations]. It’s because he refrained
from taking what is not given, refrained from sensual misconduct,
refrained from false speech, refrained from divisive speech, refrained
from abusive speech, refrained from idle chatter, was not covetous, bore
no ill will, and had right views that he reappears in the company of
human beings. And it’s because he gave food, drink, cloth, vehicles,
garlands, scents, creams, bed, lodging, & lamps to priests &
contemplatives that he experiences the five strings of human sensuality.

[Similarly for the case of rebirth in the company of devas] “…It’s
because he refrained from taking what is not given… and had right
views that he reappears in the company of devas. And it’s because he
gave food, drink, cloth, vehicles, garlands, scents, creams, bed,
lodging, & lamps to priests & contemplatives that he experiences
the five strings of divine sensuality. But at any rate, brahman, the
donor does not go without reward.”

[The brahman Janussonin:] “It’s amazing, Master Gotama, it’s
astounding, how it’s enough to make one want to give a gift, enough to
make one want to make an offering, where the donor does not go without
reward.”

“That’s the way it is, brahman. That’s the way it is. The donor does not go without reward.”

— AN 10.177

“Even if a person throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a
village pool or pond, thinking, ‘May whatever animals live here feed on
this,’ that would be a source of merit.”

— AN 3.57

“If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they
would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness
overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last
mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were
someone to receive their gift. But because beings do not know, as I
know, the results of giving & sharing, they eat without having
given. The stain of miserliness overcomes their minds.”

— Iti 26

As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Where, lord, should a gift be given?”

“Wherever the mind feels confidence, great king.”

“But a gift given where, lord, bears great fruit?”

“This [question] is one thing, great king — ‘Where should a gift be
given?’ — while this — ‘A gift given where bears great fruit?’ — is
something else entirely. What is given to a virtuous person — rather
than to an unvirtuous one — bears great fruit.”

— SN 3.24

“These five are a person of integrity’s gifts. Which five? A person
of integrity gives a gift with a sense of conviction. A person of
integrity gives a gift attentively. A person of integrity gives a gift
in season. A person of integrity gives a gift with an empathetic heart. A
person of integrity gives a gift without adversely affecting himself or
others.

— AN 5.148

[General Siha:] “Is it possible, lord, to point out a fruit of generosity visible in the here & now?”

[The Buddha:] “It is possible, Siha. One who gives, who is a master
of giving, is dear & charming to people at large. And the fact that
who gives, who is a master of giving, is dear & charming to people
at large: this is a fruit of generosity visible in the here & now.

“Furthermore, good people, people of integrity, admire one who gives,
who is a master of giving. And the fact that good people, people of
integrity, admire one who gives, who is a master of giving: this, too,
is a fruit of generosity visible in the here & now.

“Furthermore, the fine reputation of one who gives, who is a master
of giving, is spread far & wide. And the fact that the fine
reputation of one who gives, who is a master of giving, is spread far
& wide: this, too, is a fruit of generosity visible in the here
& now.

“Furthermore, when one who gives, who is a master of giving,
approaches any assembly of people — noble warriors, brahmans,
householders, or contemplatives — he/she does so confidently &
without embarrassment. And the fact that when one who gives, who is a
master of giving, approaches any assembly of people — noble warriors,
brahmans, householders, or contemplatives — he/she does so confidently
& without embarrassment: this, too, is a fruit of generosity visible
in the here & now.

“Furthermore, at the break-up of the body, after death, one who
gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a good destination, the
heavenly world. And the fact that at the break-up of the body, after
death, one who gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a good
destination, the heavenly world: this is a fruit of generosity in the next life.”

When this was said, General Siha said to the Blessed One: “As for the
four fruits of generosity visible in the here & now that have been
pointed out by the Blessed One, it’s not the case that I go by
conviction in the Blessed One with regard to them. I know them, too. I
am one who gives, a master of giving, dear & charming to people at
large. I am one who gives, a master of giving; good people, people of
integrity, admire me. I am one who gives, a master of giving, and my
fine reputation is spread far & wide: ‘Siha is generous, a doer, a
supporter of the Sangha.’ I am one who gives, a master of giving, and
when I approach any assembly of people — noble warriors, brahmans,
householders, or contemplatives — I do so confidently & without
embarrassment.

“But when the Blessed One says to me, ‘At the break-up of the body,
after death, one who gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a
good destination, the heavenly world,’ that I do not know. That is where
I go by conviction in the Blessed One.”

“So it is, Siha. So it is. At the break-up of the body, after death,
one who gives, who is a master of giving, reappears in a good
destination, the heavenly world.”

— AN 5.34

“Sariputta, there is the case where a person gives a gift seeking his
own profit, with a mind attached [to the reward], seeking to store up
for himself [with the thought], ‘I’ll enjoy this after death.’ He gives
his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume, &
ointment; bedding, shelter, & a lamp — to a priest or a
contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a
gift as this?”

“Yes, lord.”

“Having given this gift seeking his own profit — with a mind attached
[to the reward], seeking to store up for himself, [with the thought],
‘I’ll enjoy this after death’ — on the break-up of the body, after
death, reappears in the company of the Four Great Kings. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Then there is the case of a person who gives a gift not seeking his
own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to
store up for himself, nor [with the thought], ‘I’ll enjoy this after
death.’ Instead, he gives a gift with the thought, ‘Giving is good.’ He
gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland, perfume,
& ointment; bedding, shelter, & a lamp — to a priest or a
contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such a
gift as this?”

“Yes, lord.”

“Having given this gift with the thought, ‘Giving is good,’ on the
break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the company of the Devas of the Thirty-three. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Or, instead of thinking, ‘Giving is good,’ he gives a gift with the
thought, ‘This was given in the past, done in the past, by my father
& grandfather. It would not be right for me to let this old family
custom be discontinued’… on the break-up of the body, after death, he
reappears in the company of the Devas of the Hours. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Or, instead… he gives a gift with the thought, ‘I am well-off.
These are not well-off. It would not be right for me, being well-off,
not to give a gift to those who are not well-off’… on the break-up of
the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Contented Devas. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Or, instead… he gives a gift with the thought, ‘Just as there were
the great sacrifices of the sages of the past — Atthaka, Vamaka,
Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha,
Kassapa, & Bhagu — in the same way will this be my distribution of
gifts’… on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the
company of the devas who delight in creation. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Or, instead… he gives a gift with the thought, ‘When this gift of
mine is given, it makes the mind serene. Gratification & joy
arise’… on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the
company of the devas who have power over the creations of others. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a returner, coming back to this world.

“Or, instead of thinking, ‘When this gift of mine is given, it makes
the mind serene. Gratification & joy arise,’ he gives a gift with
the thought, ‘This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind.’
He gives his gift — food, drink, clothing, a vehicle; a garland,
perfume, & ointment; bedding, shelter, & a lamp — to a priest or
a contemplative. What do you think, Sariputta? Might a person give such
a gift as this?”

“Yes, lord.”

“Having given this, not seeking his own profit, not with a mind
attached [to the reward], not seeking to store up for himself, nor [with
the thought], ‘I’ll enjoy this after death,’

” — nor with the thought, ‘Giving is good,’

” — nor with the thought, ‘This was given in the past, done in the
past, by my father & grandfather. It would not be right for me to
let this old family custom be discontinued,’

” — nor with the thought, ‘I am well-off. These are not well-off. It
would not be right for me, being well-off, not to give a gift to those
who are not well-off,’ nor with the thought, ‘Just as there were the
great sacrifices of the sages of the past — Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva,
Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa, &
Bhagu — in the same way this will be my distribution of gifts,’

” — nor with the thought, ‘When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind serene. Gratification & joy arise,’

” — but with the thought, ‘This is an ornament for the mind, a
support for the mind’ — on the break-up of the body, after death, he
reappears in the company of Brahma’s Retinue. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a non-returner. He does not come back to this world.

“This, Sariputta, is the cause, this is the reason, why a person
gives a gift of a certain sort and it does not bear great fruit or great
benefit, whereas another person gives a gift of the same sort and it
bears great fruit and great benefit.”

— AN 7.49