Thus have I heard: Once while the Exalted One dwelt near Vesali, at the Gabled Hall in Mahavana, General Siha visited him, saluted and sat down at one side. So seated, he said to the Exalted One:

‘Is it possible, Lord, for you to show me the visible results of giving?'

‘Well, Siha, in reply to your question I will question you in return and you can decide the matter as it seems good to you. Now what do you think Siha? If there were two men: one unbelieving, mean, miserly and cross- grained; and the other a believer, a generous donor, delighting in giving. What do you think Siha, who would the compassionate and wise Sangha first have good feeling toward; the miserly man or the generous man?'

Siha replied: ‘This miser and doubter, Lord, why would the Sangha feel good about this one? But the joyous donor, surely they would think well of him and enjoy his company.'

‘So then, what do you think, Siha, which of these two then would the Sangha first choose to visit?'

‘Surely, Lord, it would be the faithful, generous one that the Sangha would first choose to visit rather than the mean, miserly one.'

‘And then, Siha, if the Sangha were hungry, it being time for their daily collection of alms food, whose house do you imagine they would think to go to?'

‘Indeed, Lord, if the Sangha were in want of alms food what purpose would there be to go to the house of that mean and miserly man, they would surely think to go to the house of the joyous and generous man?'

‘And who, Siha, would the Sangha feel most comfortable and happy teaching the Dhamma to; the miserly unbeliever or the joyous believer?'

‘Why, Lord, I can be sure that the doubting unbeliever would turn away from talk of truth and goodness whereas the generous believer would delight and welcome such talk from the Sangha.'

‘And of those good folk in the village, Siha, of whom would they speak words of praise, of whom would there be good report?'

‘I think, Lord, that of the mean miser, little at all would be said, as these good folk use modest speech. But of the generous man much would be said by way of praise and of good report.'

‘And of the two, Siha, which one would go to any gathering of nobles, of Sangha, or of good and moral householders, approaching them with confidence and with an untroubled heart?'

‘The mean and miserly man usually keeps to himself; he avoids gatherings of nobles, of Sangha or of good and moral householders, he has no confidence and passes by with a troubled heart. But the generous supporter of the Sangha enters such gatherings with a joyous heart, full of confidence.'

‘And on the breaking up of their body, Siha, which of these two would later arise in a happy heavenly realm?'

‘To know anothers kamma is not easy but why should that unbelieving, mean, miserly, cross- grained man arise in a happy heavenly realm? Much more chance, I think, that the other man, a believer, a generous donor, delighting in giving, would arise in a happy heavenly realm.'

‘And so, Siha, you should reflect on the content of your answers and see that the visible results of joyous, good-hearted giving are seven-fold:
1 — the Sangha feels good toward such people;
2 — when thinking to visit they choose such people first;
3 — when thinking to collect alms food such people come to the Sangha's mind easily;
4 — when it is time to teach Dhamma a seat is always held for such people;
5 — in the village one hears only praise and good report of such people;
6 — gatherings of nobles, Sangha and householders are approached confidently by such people;
7 — on the breaking up of their body such people will arise in a happy realm.'

And General Siha was gladdened and was delighted by the words of the Buddha. He resolved, reflecting on these two types of men, that he would strive to be a believer, a generous donor and to delight in giving, as the results of such actions are blessings much beyond the worth of anything he might withhold by not believing in the holy life, being mean, miserly and cross-grained.
                                    (Anguttara, VII, 54)