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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

VI. Overflowing Merit — AN 4.52: Overflowing Merit (2nd)

1“Mendicants, there are these four 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. What four?


It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ This is the first kind of overflowing merit …

2Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’ This is the second kind of overflowing merit …

3Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, straightforward, methodical, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’ This is the third kind of overflowing merit …

4Furthermore, a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit …


These are the four 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.


5Whoever has faith in the Realized One,
unwavering and well grounded;
whose ethical conduct is good,
praised and loved by the noble ones;

6who has confidence in the Saṅgha,
and correct view:
they’re said to be prosperous,
their life is not in vain.

7So let the wise devote themselves
to faith, ethical behavior,
confidence, and insight into the teaching,
remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.

1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti. Katame cattāro?


Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:  ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:  ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

3Puna 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 lokassā’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi acchiddehi asabalehi akammāsehi bhujissehi viññuppasatthehi aparāmaṭṭhehi samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.


Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantīti.


5Yassa saddhā tathāgate,
acalā suppatiṭṭhitā;
Sīlañca yassa kalyāṇaṁ,
ariyakantaṁ pasaṁsitaṁ.

6Saṅghe pasādo yassatthi,
ujubhūtañca dassanaṁ;
Adaliddoti taṁ āhu,
amoghaṁ tassa jīvitaṁ.

7Tasmā saddhañca sīlañca,
pasādaṁ dhammadassanaṁ;
Anuyuñjetha medhāvī,
saraṁ buddhāna sāsanan"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.