SN 55.31  Paṭhama puññābhisanda sutta - Streams of Merit (First)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā. Katame cattāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Ayaṁ paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

“Bhikkhus, there are these four streams of merit, outflows of good, and supports for ease. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a disciple of the Noble Ones is endowed with |perfect clarity::unshakable confidence that arises through direct experience, by personally seeing the benefits in one’s own practice [aveccappasāda]| in the Buddha — The Blessed One is an |Arahant::a worthy one, a fully awakened being, epithet of the Buddha [arahant]|, perfectly Awakened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, who has reached the destination, knower of the world, an unsurpassed guide of trainable persons, a teacher of gods and humans, Buddha, Fortunate One. This is the first stream of merit, outflow of good, and support for ease.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti. Ayaṁ dutiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Further again, bhikkhus, a disciple of the Noble Ones is endowed with perfect clarity in the teachings of the Buddha — The |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, |onward leading::applicable, relevant, practical [opaneyyika]|, to be personally experienced by the wise. This is the second stream of merit, outflow of good, and support for ease.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni, aṭṭha purisapuggalā. Esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti. Ayaṁ tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Further again, bhikkhus, a disciple of the Noble Ones is endowed with perfect clarity in the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| — The community of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the upright way, practicing the true way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this community of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. This is the third stream of merit, outflow of good, and support for ease.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi acchiddehi asabalehi akammāsehi bhujissehi viññuppasatthehi aparāmaṭṭhehi samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Further again, bhikkhus, a disciple of the Noble Ones is endowed with virtues that are dear to the Noble Ones—unbroken, untorn, not spotty, unblemished, freeing, praised by the wise, irreproachable, |leading to collectedness::leading to samadhi, conducive to mental composure [samādhisaṃvattanika]|. This is the fourth stream of merit, outflow of good, and support for ease.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the four streams of merit, outflows of good, and supports for ease.”