4.
The Discourse on Dīghajāṇu
54.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans, where there was a market town of the Koliyans named Kakkarapatta.
Then Dīghajāṇu, a Koliyan's son, approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, Dīghajāṇu, a Koliyan's son, said this to the Blessed One -
"We, venerable sir, are laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, dwelling in the confinement of wife and children, we enjoy Kāsi sandalwood, we wear garlands, scents, and cosmetics, we accept gold and silver.
For us such as we are, venerable sir, let the Blessed One expound the Teaching in such a way that these teachings would be for our welfare and happiness in the present life, for our welfare and happiness in the future life."
"There are, Byagghapajja, these four qualities that lead to a son of good family's welfare and happiness in the present life. Which four? Accomplishment in industriousness, accomplishment in protection, good friendship, and balanced living. And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in industriousness? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family earns his living by whatever occupation - whether by farming, whether by trade, whether by cattle-herding, whether by archery, whether by government service, whether by some other craft - therein he is skilled, not lazy, endowed with investigation into the means for that, able to do and able to arrange. This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in industriousness.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in protection? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family has wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained. That he safeguards with protection and guarding - 'How might kings not take my riches, how might thieves not take them, how might fire not burn them, how might water not carry them away, how might disagreeable heirs not take them!' This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in protection.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is good friendship? Here, Byagghapajja, in whatever village or town a son of good family dwells, there whoever they are - householders or householders' sons, whether young ones of mature morality, or elders of mature morality, accomplished in faith, accomplished in morality, accomplished in generosity, accomplished in wisdom - with them he stands together, converses, and engages in discussion; he trains in the accomplishment in faith of those accomplished in faith, he trains in the accomplishment in morality of those accomplished in morality, he trains in the accomplishment in generosity of those accomplished in generosity, he trains in the accomplishment in wisdom of those accomplished in wisdom. This is called, Byagghapajja, good friendship.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is balanced living? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family, having understood the income of his wealth and having understood the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced livelihood, neither too extravagant nor too meagre - 'Thus my income will exceed my expenditure, and my expenditure will not exceed my income.' Just as, Byagghapajja, a weigher or a weigher's apprentice, having held up the scales, knows - 'By this much it has gone down, by this much it has gone up'; so too, Byagghapajja, a son of good family, having understood the income of his wealth and having understood the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced livelihood, neither too extravagant nor too meagre - 'Thus my income will exceed my expenditure, and my expenditure will not exceed my income.' If, Byagghapajja, this son of good family, having little income, leads an extravagant livelihood, there are those who will say of him - 'This son of good family consumes his wealth like a fig-eater.' But if, Byagghapajja, this son of good family, having great income, leads a miserly livelihood, there are those who will say of him - 'This son of good family will die like one without a master.' But when, Byagghapajja, this son of good family, having understood the income of his wealth and having understood the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced livelihood, neither too extravagant nor too meagre - 'Thus my income will exceed my expenditure, and my expenditure will not exceed my income.' This is called, Byagghapajja, balanced living.
"For wealth thus arisen, Byagghapajja, there are four causes of ruin - one who indulges in women, a drunkard, a gambler, having evil friends, evil companions, evil associates. Just as, Byagghapajja, a great lake has four inlets and four outlets. If a man were to close off its inlets and open its outlets; and the rain god were not to send down proper showers. Thus indeed, Byagghapajja, for that great lake only decline is to be expected, not growth; so too, Byagghapajja, for wealth thus arisen there are four causes of ruin - one who indulges in women, a drunkard, a gambler, having evil friends, evil companions, evil associates.
"For wealth thus arisen, Byagghapajja, there are four sources of income - not one who indulges in women, not a drunkard, not a gambler, having good friends, good companions, good associates. Just as, Byagghapajja, a great lake has four inlets and four outlets. If a man were to open its inlets and close its outlets; and the rain god would send down proper showers. Thus indeed, Byagghapajja, for that great lake only growth is to be expected, not decline; so too, Byagghapajja, for wealth thus arisen there are four sources of income - not one who indulges in women, not a drunkard, not a gambler, having good friends, good companions, good associates. These indeed, Byagghapajja, are the four principles that lead to the welfare and happiness of a son of good family in this present life.
"These four principles, Byagghapajja, lead to the welfare and happiness of a son of good family in the future. Which four? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in morality, accomplishment in generosity, accomplishment in wisdom. And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in faith? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family has faith, he believes in the enlightenment of the Truth-finder - 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One, etc. Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in faith.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in morality? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family abstains from killing living beings, etc. abstains from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence. This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in morality.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in generosity? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, generous in giving, with purified hands, delighting in relinquishment, accessible to requests, delighting in giving and sharing. This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in generosity.
"And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in wisdom? Here, Byagghapajja, a son of good family is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering. This is called, Byagghapajja, accomplishment in wisdom. These, Byagghapajja, are the four qualities that lead to the welfare and benefit of a son of good family pertaining to the future life, to happiness pertaining to the future life."
He leads an even livelihood, he guards what has been brought together.
She constantly purifies the path, for safety pertaining to the future life.
Declared by the one whose name is truth, bringing happiness in both respects.
Thus for householders, generosity and merit increase." The fourth.