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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

VI. Overflowing Merit — AN 4.59: Food

1“Mendicants, when a donor gives food, they give the recipients four things. What four? Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength … ”


When a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients these four things.”

2Carefully giving food at the right time,
to those who are disciplined, eating only what others give,
you provide them with four things:
long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

3A person who gives long life, beauty,
happiness, and strength,
has long life and fame
wherever they’re reborn.”

1"Bhojanaṁ, bhikkhave, dadamāno dāyako paṭiggāhakānaṁ cattāri ṭhānāni deti. Katamāni cattāri? Āyuṁ deti, vaṇṇaṁ deti, sukhaṁ deti, balaṁ deti. Āyuṁ kho pana datvā āyussa bhāgī hoti dibbassa vā mānusassa vā. Vaṇṇaṁ datvā … sukhaṁ datvā … balaṁ datvā balassa bhāgī hoti dibbassa vā mānusassa vā.


Bhojanaṁ, bhikkhave, dadamāno dāyako paṭiggāhakānaṁ imāni cattāri ṭhānāni detīti.

2Yo saññatānaṁ paradattabhojinaṁ,
Kālena sakkacca dadāti bhojanaṁ;
Cattāri ṭhānāni anuppavecchati,
Āyuñca vaṇṇañca sukhaṁ balañca.

3So āyudāyī vaṇṇadāyī,
sukhaṁ balaṁ dado naro;
Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,
yattha yatthūpapajjatī"ti.

Navamaṁ.