2.
The Second Discourse on Streams of Merit
52.
"Monks, there are these four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, nutriments of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness.
Which four?
Here, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha:
'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.'
This, monks, is the first stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness.
"Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' This, monks, is the second stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness.
"Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community: 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing properly, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' This, monks, is the third stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness.
"Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones, unbroken, without gaps, spotless, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, not adhered to, conducive to concentration. This, monks, is the fourth stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness. These, monks, are the four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, nutriments of happiness, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to heaven, leading to the desirable, to the pleasant, to the agreeable, to welfare, to happiness."
And whose morality is good, dear to the noble ones, praised.
They call him 'not poor', his life is not in vain.
The wise one should pursue, remembering the Buddhas' teaching." The second.