3.
The Discourse on the Desirable
43.
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 five things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world. Which five? Life, householder, is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world; beauty is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world; happiness is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world; fame is desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world; heavens are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world. These, householder, are the five things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world.
"I do not say, householder, that the attainment of these five things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world comes about because of requesting or because of longing. If, householder, the attainment of these five things that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, and rare in the world were to come about because of requesting or because of longing, who here would lack anything?
"Indeed, householder, it is not proper for a noble disciple who desires life to request life or to delight in it, or even because of life. By a noble disciple who desires life, householder, the practice conducive to life should be practised. For the practice conducive to life, when practised by him, leads to the attainment of life. He becomes an obtainer of life, whether divine or human.
"Indeed, householder, it is not proper for a noble disciple who desires beauty to request beauty or to delight in it, or even because of beauty. By a noble disciple who desires beauty, householder, the practice conducive to beauty should be practised. For the practice conducive to beauty, when practised by him, leads to the attainment of beauty. He becomes an obtainer of beauty, whether divine or human.
"Indeed, householder, it is not proper for a noble disciple who desires happiness to request happiness or to delight in it, or even because of happiness. By a noble disciple who desires happiness, householder, the practice conducive to happiness should be practised. For the practice conducive to happiness, when practised by him, leads to the attainment of happiness. He becomes an obtainer of happiness, whether divine or human.
"Indeed, householder, it is not proper for a noble disciple who desires fame to request fame or to delight in it, or even because of fame. By a noble disciple who desires fame, householder, the practice conducive to fame should be practised. For the practice conducive to fame, when practised by him, leads to the attainment of fame. He becomes an obtainer of fame, whether divine or human.
"Indeed, householder, it is not proper for a noble disciple desiring heaven to request or delight in heaven, or even because of heaven. By a noble disciple desiring heaven, householder, the practice leading to heaven should be undertaken. For the practice leading to heaven, when undertaken by him, leads to the attainment of heaven. He becomes an obtainer of heaven."
By one desiring lofty delights, one after another.
"The diligent wise one takes hold of both benefits.
By attaining what is beneficial, that intelligent one is said to be a person of wisdom." The third.