AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.51 Overflowing Merit

Numbered Discourses 4.51 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.51

6. Overflowing Merit – 6. Puññābhisandavagga

AN 4.51 Overflowing Merit – Paṭhamapuññābhisandasutta

1.1

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

1.2

“Bhikkhū, 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.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti.

1.3

What four?

Katame cattāro?

1.4

When a bhikkhu enters and remains in a limitless samādhi of heart while using a robe, the overflowing of merit for the donor is limitless …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cīvaraṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

2.1

When a bhikkhu enters and remains in a limitless samādhi of heart while eating almsfood, the overflowing of merit for the donor is limitless …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

3.1

When a bhikkhu enters and remains in a limitless samādhi of heart while using lodgings, the overflowing of merit for the donor is limitless …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu senāsanaṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

4.1

When a bhikkhu enters and remains in a limitless samādhi of heart while using medicines and supplies for the sick, the overflowing of merit for the donor is limitless …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

4.2

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.

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

5.1

When a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to grasp how much merit they have by saying that this is the extent of their overflowing merit … that leads to happiness. It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

Imehi ca pana, bhikkhave, catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ: ‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

6.1

It’s like trying to grasp how much water is in the ocean. It’s not easy to say 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.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ: ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānīti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānīti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānīti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānīti vā’, atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati;

6.2

In the same way, when a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit it’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imehi catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ: ‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatīti.

7.1

Hosts of people use the rivers,

Mahodadhiṁ aparimitaṁ mahāsaraṁ,

7.2

and though the rivers are many,

Bahubheravaṁ ratanavarānamālayaṁ;

7.3

all reach the great deep, the boundless ocean,

Najjo yathā naragaṇasaṅghasevitā,

7.4

the cruel sea that’s home to precious gems.

Puthū savantī upayanti sāgaraṁ.

8.1

In the same way, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes;

Evaṁ naraṁ annadapānavatthadaṁ,

8.2

and they’re a giver of beds, seats, and mats—

Seyyānisajjattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ;

8.3

the streams of merit reach that astute person,

Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ,

8.4

as the rivers bring their waters to the sea.”

Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran”ti.

8.5

Paṭhamaṁ.