The Buddha describes the eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness—firstly, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the buddha, this is the first kind of overflowing merit, furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the teaching, and this is the second kind of overflowing merit, and furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the saṅgha, and this is the third kind of overflowing merit, and mendicants, these five gifts are great, primordial, long-standing, traditional, and ancient. they are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. they’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them, and what five?.

AN 8.39 Overflowing Merit

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti. Katame aṭṭha?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puññābhisando …pe… saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katamāni pañca?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti. Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti, averaṁ deti, abyābajjhaṁ deti. Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti …pe…

kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti …pe…

musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti …pe…

surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti averaṁ deti abyābajjhaṁ deti. Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā, aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti.

“Mendicants, there are these eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.

Katame aṭṭha?

What eight?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti.

Firstly, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Buddha.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

This is the first kind of overflowing merit …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the teaching.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puññābhisando …pe… saṁvattati.

This is the second kind of overflowing merit …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

This is the third kind of overflowing merit …

Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

Mendicants, these five gifts are great, primordial, long-standing, traditional, and ancient. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti.

Firstly, a noble disciple gives up killing living creatures.

Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti, averaṁ deti, abyābajjhaṁ deti.

By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.

Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti.

And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

This is the first gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, traditional, and ancient. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up stealing. …

…pe…

This is the fifth kind of overflowing merit …

kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up sexual misconduct. …

…pe…

This is the sixth kind of overflowing merit …

musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up lying. …

…pe…

This is the seventh kind of overflowing merit …

surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.

Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti averaṁ deti abyābajjhaṁ deti.

By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.

Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā, aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti.

And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

This is the fifth gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, traditional, and ancient. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

This is the eighth kind of overflowing merit …

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantī”ti.

These are the eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.”

Navamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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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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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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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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Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct

Transgression of boundaries in intimate relations—acting on desire in ways that betray trust, cause harm, or violate the commitments of oneself or others.

Also known as: crossing boundaries, infidelity, inappropriate sexual behavior, unfaithfulness to one's partner
Pāli: kāmesumicchācāra
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Last updated on July 27, 2026