1.
The Discourse on Worthy Deeds
61.
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
To the householder Anāthapiṇḍika seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Householder, there are these four things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world. Which four? 'May wealth arise for me with reason' - this is the first thing that is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world.
"Having obtained wealth with reason, 'may fame come to me together with relatives, together with preceptors' - this is the second thing that is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world.
"Having obtained wealth with reason, having obtained fame together with relatives, together with preceptors, 'may I live long, may I maintain a long life span' - this is the third thing that is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world.
"Having obtained wealth with reason, having obtained fame together with relatives, together with preceptors, having lived long, having maintained a long life span, 'upon the body's collapse at death, may I be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world' - this is the fourth thing that is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world. These, householder, are the four things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world.
"Householder, for the attainment of these four things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world, four things are conducive. Which four? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in morality, accomplishment in generosity, accomplishment in wisdom.
"And what, householder, is accomplishment in faith? Here, householder, a noble disciple has faith, he believes in the enlightenment of the Truth-finder - '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 is called, householder, accomplishment in faith.
"And what, householder, is accomplishment in morality? Here, householder, a noble disciple abstains from killing living beings, etc. abstains from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence. This is called, householder, accomplishment in morality.
"And what, householder, is accomplishment in generosity? Here, householder, a noble disciple 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, householder, accomplishment in generosity.
"And what, householder, is accomplishment in wisdom? Householder, one dwelling with a mind overcome by covetousness and unrighteous greed does what should not be done, fails in what should be done. Doing what should not be done, failing in what should be done, one falls from fame and happiness. Householder, one dwelling with a mind overcome by anger does what should not be done, fails in what should be done. Doing what should not be done, failing in what should be done, one falls from fame and happiness. Householder, one dwelling with a mind overcome by sloth and torpor does what should not be done, fails in what should be done. Doing what should not be done, failing in what should be done, one falls from fame and happiness. Householder, one dwelling with a mind overcome by restlessness and remorse does what should not be done, fails in what should be done. Doing what should not be done, failing in what should be done, one falls from fame and happiness. Householder, one dwelling with a mind overcome by sceptical doubt does what should not be done, fails in what should be done. Doing what should not be done, failing in what should be done, one falls from fame and happiness.
"That noble disciple, householder, having understood 'covetousness and unrighteous greed is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, abandons covetousness and unrighteous greed, the impurity of the mind. Having understood 'anger is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, abandons anger, the impurity of the mind. Having understood 'sloth and torpor is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, abandons sloth and torpor, the impurity of the mind. Having understood 'restlessness and remorse is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, abandons restlessness and remorse, the impurity of the mind. Having understood 'sceptical doubt is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, abandons sceptical doubt, the impurity of the mind.
"And when, householder, for a noble disciple, having understood 'covetousness and unrighteous greed is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, covetousness and unrighteous greed, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned. Having understood 'anger is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, anger, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned. Having understood 'sloth and torpor is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, sloth and torpor, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned. Having understood 'restlessness and remorse is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, restlessness and remorse, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned. Having understood 'sceptical doubt is an impurity of the mind', thus having understood, sceptical doubt, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned. This is called, householder, a noble disciple of great wisdom, of broad wisdom, one who sees what comes into range, accomplished in wisdom. This is called, householder, accomplishment in wisdom. Of these four things, householder, that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world, these four things lead to their attainment.
"That noble disciple, householder, with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, is a doer of four fitting deeds. What are the four? Here, householder, a noble disciple with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, makes himself happy and pleased, and rightly maintains his happiness. He makes his mother and father happy and pleased, and rightly maintains their happiness. He makes his children, wife, slaves, workmen and servants happy and pleased, and rightly maintains their happiness. He makes his friends and colleagues happy and pleased, and rightly maintains their happiness. This is his first wealth that has gone to a proper place, that has gone to a fitting place, that has been used according to reason.
"Furthermore, householder, a noble disciple with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, whatever misfortunes there are from fire or from water or from kings or from thieves or from disliked heirs, he provides protection against such misfortunes. He makes himself safe. This is his second wealth that has gone to a proper place, that has gone to a fitting place, that has been used according to reason.
"Furthermore, householder, a noble disciple with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, is a maker of the five offerings - offerings to relatives, offerings to guests, offerings to departed ancestors, offerings to the king, offerings to deities. This is his third wealth that has gone to a proper place, that has gone to a fitting place, that has been used according to reason.
"Furthermore, householder, a noble disciple with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, to those ascetics and brahmins who abstain from vanity and negligence, who are established in patience and meekness, who tame themselves alone, who calm themselves alone, who bring themselves alone to final quenching - to such ascetics and brahmins he establishes an offering that is conducive to higher states, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven. This is his fourth wealth that has gone to a proper place, that has gone to a fitting place, that has been used according to reason.
"That noble disciple, householder, with wealth acquired through industrious effort, gathered by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous and righteously obtained, is a doer of these four fitting deeds. For whomsoever, householder, wealth goes to utter elimination apart from these four fitting deeds, this wealth is called, householder, wealth that has not gone to a proper place, that has not gone to a fitting place, that has been used without reason. For whomsoever, householder, wealth goes to utter elimination through these four fitting deeds, this wealth is called, householder, wealth that has gone to a proper place, that has gone to a fitting place, that has been used according to reason."
Beneficial offerings have been given, and also the five oblations have been made;
The virtuous ones have been attended to, the restrained practitioners of the holy life.
That purpose has been attained by me, what has been done is without regret.
They praise him right here, and after death he rejoices in heaven." The first.