<p>At least parts of the quote appears to originate from the article &quot;<a href="https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/family-dharma-the-joy-of-generosity/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Family Dharma: The Joy of Generosity</a>&quot;, written by Beth Roth and published in January 2007. This article appears in &quot;<a href="https://tricycle.org/about/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Tricycle: The Buddhist Review</a>&quot;, a Buddhist magazine.</p>
<p>I guess from there, it became wrongly attributed to the Buddha and the text has also changed along the way.</p>
<p>If you read the article, Beth Roth derived her inspiration from the Buddha, as shown below.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Buddha said, “If you knew, as I do, the power of giving, you would
not let a single meal pass without sharing some of it.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This comes from <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html#iti-026" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Iti 26</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have
heard: &quot;If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving &amp; sharing,
they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of
selfishness 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 &amp; sharing, they eat without
having given. The stain of selfishness overcomes their minds.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Also, related quote from <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.057.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN 3.57</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;I tell you, Vaccha, 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, to say
nothing of what is given to human beings. But I do say that what is
given to a virtuous person is of great fruit, and not so much what is
given to an unvirtuous person.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-18T18:23:27.277Z
Thanks! Also found this on generosity via https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html#perfect  The Perfection of Giving  
by Acariya Dhammapala
From the Cariyapitaka Atthakatha, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in The Discourse on the All-Embracing Net of Views: The Brahmajala Sutta and Its Commentaries (BPS, 1978), pp. 289-96, pp. 322-23.
vimutti
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-18T02:42:02.767Z
2020-12-18T02:58:45.493Z
2020-12-18T02:58:45.493Z
ruben2020
<p>What is the source of the following quote (rightly or wrongly) attributed to the historical Buddha (easily found online):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We
experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience
joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in
remembering the fact that we have given.</p>
</blockquote>

<reference-request><dana>
What is the source of this popular quote about giving?
# What is the source of this popular quote about giving?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-17)

What is the source of the following quote (rightly or wrongly) attributed to the historical Buddha (easily found online):

> Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We
> experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience
> joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in
> remembering the fact that we have given.

**Tags:** reference-request, dana


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-18. Score: 2

At least parts of the quote appears to originate from the article "[Family Dharma: The Joy of Generosity](https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/family-dharma-the-joy-of-generosity/)", written by Beth Roth and published in January 2007. This article appears in "[Tricycle: The Buddhist Review](https://tricycle.org/about/)", a Buddhist magazine.

I guess from there, it became wrongly attributed to the Buddha and the text has also changed along the way.

If you read the article, Beth Roth derived her inspiration from the Buddha, as shown below.

> The Buddha said, “If you knew, as I do, the power of giving, you would
> not let a single meal pass without sharing some of it.”

This comes from [Iti 26](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.001-027.than.html#iti-026):

> This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have
> heard: "If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing,
> they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of
> selfishness 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 selfishness overcomes their minds."

Also, related quote from [AN 3.57](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.057.than.html):

> "I tell you, Vaccha, 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, to say
> nothing of what is given to human beings. But I do say that what is
> given to a virtuous person is of great fruit, and not so much what is
> given to an unvirtuous person.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks! Also found this on generosity via https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html#perfect  The Perfection of Giving   by Acariya Dhammapala From the Cariyapitaka Atthakatha, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in The Discourse on the All-Embracing Net of Views: The Brahmajala Sutta and Its Commentaries (BPS, 1978), pp. 289-96, pp. 322-23.  

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