4: The Book of the Fours
VI. Overflowing Merit — AN 4.60: Lay Practice
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
2“Householder, when a noble disciple does four things they are practicing appropriately for a layperson, which brings fame and leads to heaven. What four? It’s when a noble disciple serves the mendicant Saṅgha with robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
When a noble disciple does these four things they are practicing appropriately for a layperson, which brings fame and leads to heaven.
3Those who are astute practice the way
that’s appropriate for laypeople.
They provide those who are ethical
and on the right path with robes,
4alms-food, lodgings,
and supplies for the sick.
Their merit always grows
by day and by night.
They pass on to a place in heaven,
having done excellent deeds.”
1Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
2"Catūhi kho, gahapati, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti yasopaṭilābhiniṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti cīvarena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti piṇḍapātena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti senāsanena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena.
Imehi kho, gahapati, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti yasopaṭilābhiniṁ saggasaṁvattanikanti.
3Gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ,
paṭipajjanti paṇḍitā;
Sammaggate sīlavante,
cīvarena upaṭṭhitā.
4Piṇḍapātasayanena,
Gilānappaccayena ca;
Tesaṁ divā ca ratto ca,
Sadā puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati;
Saggañca kamatiṭṭhānaṁ,
Kammaṁ katvāna bhaddakan"ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Puññābhisandavaggo paṭhamo.
5Dve puññābhisandā dve ca,
saṁvāsā samajīvino;
Suppavāsā sudatto ca,
bhojanaṁ gihisāmicīti.