Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.
“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.
Katame cattāro?
What four?
Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Ayaṁ paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe…
the teaching …
saṅghe …pe….
the Saṅgha …
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato.
Furthermore, a noble disciple lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.
Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.
This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.
These are the four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
When a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that
‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti.
this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ—
There are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—join together and converge.
gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, tattha na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
It’s not easy to count how much water is in such places by saying
‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānī’ti vāti.
how many gallons, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of gallons there are.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imehi catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
In the same way, when a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that
‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti.
this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatī”ti.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.”
Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…
That is what the Buddha said.
satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Mahodadhiṁ aparimitaṁ mahāsaraṁ,
“Hosts of people use the rivers,
Bahubheravaṁ ratanagaṇānamālayaṁ;
and though the rivers are many,
Najjo yathā naragaṇasaṅghasevitā,
all reach the great deep, the boundless ocean,
Puthū savantī upayanti sāgaraṁ.
the cruel sea that’s home to precious gems.
Evaṁ naraṁ annapānavatthadadaṁ,
So too, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes;
Seyyāni paccattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ;
and they’re a giver of beds, seats, and mats—
Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ,
the streams of merit reach that astute person,
Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran”ti.
as the rivers bring their waters to the sea.”
Dutiyaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.
What four?
It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …
the teaching …
the Saṅgha …
Furthermore, a noble disciple lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.
This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
These are the four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.
When a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that
this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.
There are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—join together and converge.
It’s not easy to count how much water is in such places by saying
how many gallons, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of gallons there are.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water.
In the same way, when a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that
this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Hosts of people use the rivers,
and though the rivers are many,
all reach the great deep, the boundless ocean,
the cruel sea that’s home to precious gems.
So too, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes;
and they’re a giver of beds, seats, and mats—
the streams of merit reach that astute person,
as the rivers bring their waters to the sea.”
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.
Katame cattāro?
Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Ayaṁ paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe…
saṅghe …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato.
Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ—
gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, tattha na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānī’ti vāti.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imehi catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ:
‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti.
Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…
satthā:
“Mahodadhiṁ aparimitaṁ mahāsaraṁ,
Bahubheravaṁ ratanagaṇānamālayaṁ;
Najjo yathā naragaṇasaṅghasevitā,
Puthū savantī upayanti sāgaraṁ.
Evaṁ naraṁ annapānavatthadadaṁ,
Seyyāni paccattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ;
Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ,
Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.