The Buddha teaches that a mendicant with eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, hospitality, religious donation, and veneration as the supreme field of merit.

AN 8.58 Worthy of Offerings Dedicated to the Gods (2nd)

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu;

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;

āraddhavīriyo viharati thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;

āraññiko hoti pantasenāsano;

aratiratisaho hoti, uppannaṁ aratiṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharati;

bhayabheravasaho hoti, uppannaṁ bhayabheravaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharati;

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;

āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

“A mendicant with eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

What eight?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu;

It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;

They’re learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

āraddhavīriyo viharati thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;

They live with energy roused up. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

āraññiko hoti pantasenāsano;

They live in the wilderness, in remote lodgings.

aratiratisaho hoti, uppannaṁ aratiṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharati;

They prevail over desire and discontent, and live having mastered desire and discontent whenever they arose.

bhayabheravasaho hoti, uppannaṁ bhayabheravaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharati;

They prevail over fear and dread, and live having mastered fear and dread whenever they arose.

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

A mendicant with these eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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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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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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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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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026