The Buddha describes the five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable—long life,, happiness,, and and heaven.

AN 5.43 Likable

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Pañcime, gahapati, dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. Katame pañca? Āyu, gahapati, iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; vaṇṇo iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; sukhaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ; yaso iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; saggā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. Ime kho, gahapati, pañca dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ na āyācanahetu patthanāhetu paṭilābhaṁ vadāmi. Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ āyācanahetu patthanāhetu paṭilābho abhavissa, ko idha kena hāyetha?

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako āyukāmo āyuṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ āyussa vāpi hetu. Āyukāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena āyusaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Āyusaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā āyupaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti āyussa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako vaṇṇakāmo vaṇṇaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ vaṇṇassa vāpi hetu. Vaṇṇakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā vaṇṇapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti vaṇṇassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako sukhakāmo sukhaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ sukhassa vāpi hetu. Sukhakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena sukhasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Sukhasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā sukhapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti sukhassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako yasakāmo yasaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ yasassa vāpi hetu. Yasakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena yasasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Yasasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā yasapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti yasassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako saggakāmo saggaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ saggānaṁ vāpi hetu. Saggakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena saggasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Saggasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā saggapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti saggānanti.

Āyuṁ vaṇṇaṁ yasaṁ kittiṁ,
Saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
Ratiyo patthayānena,
Uḷārā aparāparā.

Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
Appamatto ubho atthe,
adhigaṇhāti paṇḍito.

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Pañcime, gahapati, dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

“Householder, these five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable are hard to get in the world.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Āyu, gahapati, iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ;

Long life,

vaṇṇo iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ;

beauty,

sukhaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ;

happiness,

yaso iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ;

fame,

saggā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

and heaven.

Ime kho, gahapati, pañca dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

These are the five things, which are likable, desirable, and agreeable, but hard to get in the world.

Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ na āyācanahetu patthanāhetu paṭilābhaṁ vadāmi.

And I say that these five things are not got by supplication or wishing for them.

Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ āyācanahetu patthanāhetu paṭilābho abhavissa, ko idha kena hāyetha?

If they were, who would lack them?

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako āyukāmo āyuṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ āyussa vāpi hetu.

A noble disciple who wants to live long ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it.

Āyukāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena āyusaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā.

Instead, they should practice the way that leads to long life.

Āyusaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā āyupaṭilābhāya saṁvattati.

For by practicing that way they gain long life

So lābhī hoti āyussa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

as a god or a human being.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako vaṇṇakāmo vaṇṇaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ vaṇṇassa vāpi hetu.

A noble disciple who wants to be beautiful ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it.

Vaṇṇakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā.

Instead, they should practice the way that leads to beauty.

Vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā vaṇṇapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati.

For by practicing that way they gain beauty

So lābhī hoti vaṇṇassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

as a god or a human being.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako sukhakāmo sukhaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ sukhassa vāpi hetu.

A noble disciple who wants to be happy ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it.

Sukhakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena sukhasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā.

Instead, they should practice the way that leads to happiness.

Sukhasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā sukhapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati.

For by practicing that way they gain happiness

So lābhī hoti sukhassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

as a god or a human being.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako yasakāmo yasaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ yasassa vāpi hetu.

A noble disciple who wants to be famous ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it.

Yasakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena yasasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā.

Instead, they should practice the way that leads to fame.

Yasasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā yasapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati.

For by practicing that way they gain fame

So lābhī hoti yasassa dibbassa mānusassa vā.

as a god or a human being.

Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako saggakāmo saggaṁ āyācituṁ abhinandituṁ saggānaṁ vāpi hetu.

A noble disciple who wants to go to heaven ought not pray for it, or hope for it, or pine for it.

Saggakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena saggasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā.

Instead, they should practice the way that leads to heaven.

Saggasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā saggapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati.

For by practicing that way they gain heaven,

So lābhī hoti saggānanti.

they are one who gains the heavens.

Āyuṁ vaṇṇaṁ yasaṁ kittiṁ,

For one who desires lofty delights

Saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;

again and again—

Ratiyo patthayānena,

long life, beauty, fame and reputation,

Uḷārā aparāparā.

heaven, and an eminent family—

Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,

the astute praise diligence

puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;

in making merit.

Appamatto ubho atthe,

Being diligent, an astute person

adhigaṇhāti paṇḍito.

secures both benefits:

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,

the benefit in this life,

yo cattho samparāyiko;

and in lives to come.

Atthābhisamayā dhīro,

An attentive one, comprehending the meaning,

paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.

is called ‘astute’.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Diligence

Diligence

The protective quality of guarding the mind amidst sensory experience. By restraining the faculties, the mind remains unsoiled by attraction.

Also known as: alertness, carefulness, heedfulness, conscientiousness, vigilance
Pāli: appamāda, uṭṭhāna
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Merit

Merit

Wholesome result of good conduct, generosity, and right intention. Merit brightens the mind and supports happiness and favorable conditions for practice.

Also known as: good deeds, spiritual wealth
Pāli: puñña, kalyāṇa
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026