This is a story about the Buddha’s one of the main disciple Sariputta.
Sariputta once went to his uncle and said, “Brahmin, do you ever do a single good deed?”
I do, Venerable.” uncle said
“What do you do?” Sariputta said
“Month after month, I give alms to the value of a thousand pieces of money.” uncle said
“To whom do you give this money?” Sariputta said
“To the naked ascetics, Venerable.” uncle said
“And what do you hope to gain thereby?” Sariputta said
“I hope to gain the world of Brahma.” uncle said
“But is this the way to reach the World of Brahma?” Sariputta said
“Yes, Venerable.” uncle said
“Who told you so?” Sariputta said
“My teachers told me so, Venerable.” uncle said
“Bràhmin, neither you nor your teachers know the way to the World of Brahma. The Buddha alone knows the way thereto. Come with me, and I will ask him to tell you the way to the world of Brahma.”
So Venerable Sariputta took his uncle with him, went to the Buddha, and told him all about it, saying, “Venerable, this
Bràhmin said so and so. Be so good as to tell him the way to the World of Brahma.”
The Buddha asked, “Bràhmin, are you correctly reported?” “Yes, Venerable.”
“Bràhmin, though you should give alms in this way for a hundred years, yet were it far more fruitful for a man, with the believing heart, for but a single instant to look upon my disciple or to bestow upon him a mere spoonful of boiled rice.”
