Numbered Discourses 7

10. Worthy of Offerings

“Bhikkhus, these seven people are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world. What seven?

First, take a person who meditates observing impermanence in the eye. They perceive impermanence and experience impermanence. Constantly, continually, and without interruption, they apply the mind and fathom with wisdom. They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. This is the first person who is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.

Next, take a person who meditates observing impermanence in the eye. … Their defilements and their life come to an end at exactly the same time. This is the second person who is worthy of offerings …

Next, take a person who meditates observing impermanence in the eye. … With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next. …

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing. …

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort. …

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort. …

With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm. … This is the seventh person.

These are the seven people who are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world.”

“Bhikkhus, these seven people are worthy of offerings … What seven?

First, take a person who meditates observing suffering in the eye. … observing not-self in the eye. … observing ending in the eye. … observing vanishing in the eye. … observing fading away in the eye. … observing cessation in the eye. … observing letting go in the eye. …

ear … nose … tongue … body … mind …

sights … sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts …

eye consciousness … ear consciousness … nose consciousness … tongue consciousness … body consciousness … mind consciousness …

eye contact … ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact … mind contact …

feeling born of eye contact … feeling born of ear contact … feeling born of nose contact … feeling born of tongue contact … feeling born of body contact … feeling born of mind contact …

perception of sights … perception of sounds … perception of smells … perception of tastes … perception of touches … perception of thoughts …

intention regarding sights … intention regarding sounds … intention regarding smells … intention regarding tastes … intention regarding touches … intention regarding thoughts …

craving for sights … craving for sounds … craving for smells … craving for tastes … craving for touches … craving for thoughts …

thoughts about sights … thoughts about sounds … thoughts about smells … thoughts about tastes … thoughts about touches … thoughts about thoughts …

considerations regarding sights … considerations regarding sounds … considerations regarding smells … considerations regarding tastes … considerations regarding touches … considerations regarding thoughts …

meditates observing impermanence in the five aggregates … the aggregate of form … the aggregate of feeling … the aggregate of perception … the aggregate of choices … the aggregate of consciousness … meditates observing suffering … not-self … ending … vanishing … fading away … cessation … letting go …”