# Is developing metta for a moment more meritorius than giving to a SammasamBuddha? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Theravada topics\ **Created:** [January 4, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/is-developing-metta-for-a-moment-more-meritorius-than-giving-to-a-sammasambuddha/1092 "2024-01-04T23:40:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nripendra](https://classicaltheravada.org/user_avatar/classicaltheravada.org/nripendra/32/1150_2.png) [@Nripendra](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/Nripendra)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/is-developing-metta-for-a-moment-more-meritorius-than-giving-to-a-sammasambuddha/1092/1 "2024-01-04T23:40:10Z")
Does developing even just a moment of metta produce more merit than giving the samma sambuddha himself and the ariya sangha various danas? ---
**Author:** ![RobertK](https://classicaltheravada.org/user_avatar/classicaltheravada.org/robertk/32/1498_2.png) [@RobertK](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/RobertK)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/is-developing-metta-for-a-moment-more-meritorius-than-giving-to-a-sammasambuddha/1092/2 "2024-01-05T04:18:24Z")
NM 20 10 **Velama** Now, householder, at that alms offering there was no one worthy of offerings, no one who purified the offering. Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave would it be to feed one person accomplished in view. Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding a hundred persons accomplished in view, would it be to feed one once-returner. Even more fruitful than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding a hundred once-returners, would it be to feed one non-returner. Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred non-returners, would it be to feed one arahant. Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred arahants, would it be to feed one paccekabuddha. [395] Even more fruitful than … feeding a hundred paccekabuddhas, would it be to feed the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One … would it be to feed the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha … would it be to build a dwelling dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters … would it be for one with a mind of confidence to go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha … would it be for one with a mind of confidence to undertake the five training rules: to abstain from the destruction of life, to abstain from taking what is not given, to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain from false speech, to abstain from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness. **Even more fruitful … would it be to develop a mind of loving-kindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder.** “Even more fruitful, householder, than the great alms offering that the brahmin Velāma gave, and feeding one person accomplished in view, and feeding a hundred persons accomplished in view; and feeding one once-returner, and feeding a hundred once-returners; and “feeding one non-returner, and feeding a hundred non-returners; and feeding one arahant, and feeding a hundred arahants; and feeding one paccekabuddha, and feeding a hundred paccekabuddhas; and feeding the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and feeding the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha; and building a dwelling dedicated to the Saṅgha of the four quarters; and for one with a mind of confidence to go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; and for one with a mind of confidence to undertake the five training rules: to abstain from the destruction of life … to abstain from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; and for one to develop a mind of loving-kindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder, [396] would it be to develop the perception of impermanence just for the time of a finger snap. 1883 * * * Bodhi note from the Commentary: 1883 Mp: “_The perception of impermanence is strong insight that has reached the peak and is an immediate condition for the path” (aniccasaññan ti maggassa anantarapaccayabhāvena sikhāpattabalavavipassanaṃ).”_ — The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (The Teachings of the Buddha) by Bhikkhu Bodhi ---
**Author:** ![NamoBuddhāya](https://classicaltheravada.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@NamoBuddhāya](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/NamoBuddh%C4%81ya)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 8:30am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/is-developing-metta-for-a-moment-more-meritorius-than-giving-to-a-sammasambuddha/1092/3 "2026-10-31T08:30:59Z")
Namo Buddhāya Yes Metta, Anapanassati, All SamathaVipassana is more Powerful than Dana to Sammāsambuddha or BuddhapamukhaSangha even. Not only that, Even taking one Sila, even taking Tisarana without Sila, the Merit already much much Greater than Sammāsambuddha or BuddhapamukhaSangha Dana. Not only that, Even an añjali, a namakkara, or reciting “Namo Buddhāya” once, or “Buddho” once praising Lord Buddha, the Merit already much Greater than Sammāsambuddha or BuddhapamukhaSangha Dana. Why? Three kinds of Kusala: Dana, Sila, Bhavana. Sila is Higher than Dana, Bhavana is the Highest. All Samatha Vipassana like Metta Anapanassati Asubha Kasina are Bhavana. Reciting Buddho, Namo Buddhāya, doing one añjali, one namakkara is Puja. Puja is included in Sila. Therefore, all of Them are of Greater Merit than even Sammāsambuddha or BuddhapamukhaSangha Dana. But all three need to be done at least some, because different Kusala can produce sadharana and asadharana fruition (shared and unshared fruition). Some fruition can be produced by whether Dana Sila or Bhavana. But some fruition is mainly the domain of Dana, some fruition is mainly the domain of Sila, and some of Bhavana. For example, Someone do Dana but not protect Sila and not Meditate or listen to Dhamma may reborn as very rich elephant that has very bad behavior and stupid. Someone protect Sila and Meditate but not do Dana may reborn as very wise human but very poor, difficult to find even food to survive. Someone practice Bhavana but not practice Sila and not do Dana may become very clever animal or demon that live very poor. Namo Buddhāya. ---
**Author:** ![Maniyo](https://classicaltheravada.org/user_avatar/classicaltheravada.org/maniyo/32/1959_2.png) [@Maniyo](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/Maniyo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/is-developing-metta-for-a-moment-more-meritorius-than-giving-to-a-sammasambuddha/1092/4 "2026-10-31T18:00:29Z")
Thanks to mention the Velama Sutta. This sutta helped me very much in contemplating about the ranking. As practioners we are able to realise this high significance of anicca on more deeper levels in ourselves. Not only theoretical and in a common sense like “all flowers wither”..etc. It shocked me to realise the danger in even reborn as a human being. A baby is born with the mistake of the in-built “lens” of nicca, of permanance, what leads to build up an atta, a self… We suffer because we hold on. We cling to things, ​people, ​feelings, ​situations,or even our own thoughts, ​because we mistakenly believe ​they or this “I” will last somehow. “I was here yesterday, I am here today, I will be here tomorrow”. So we have that deep-seated perception that things are permanent, and from that, the illusion of a fixed self, anatta, also arises. Because our mind naturally tricks us into thinking things are permanent, ​we need to intentionally cultivate the perception of impermanence, ​anicca. ​Only by recognizing that everything is fleeting, (and in the Abidhamma I found this wonderful detailed) - we can let go of our grip and find peace… So I started to understand why Lord Buddha put the development of anicca on the top of all Danas.