Paṭhamapuññābhisandasuttaṃ [AN 4.51, PTS 2.55–2.56]

1.

The First Discourse on Streams of Merit

51. At Sāvatthī. "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? For one whose robe a monk uses while dwelling having attained immeasurable concentration of mind, immeasurable is that 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.

For one whose almsfood a monk uses while dwelling having attained immeasurable concentration of mind, immeasurable is that 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.

For one whose lodging a monk uses while dwelling having attained immeasurable concentration of mind, immeasurable is that 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.

For one whose requisite of medicines for the sick a monk uses while dwelling having attained immeasurable concentration of mind, immeasurable is that 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 further, monks, for a noble disciple endowed with these four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, it is not easy to take the measure of merit: 'This much is the 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.' Rather, it is reckoned simply as an incalculable, immeasurable great mass of merit.

Just as, monks, in the great ocean it is not easy to take the measure of water: 'So many gallons of water,' or 'so many hundreds of gallons of water,' or 'so many thousands of gallons of water,' or 'so many hundreds of thousands of gallons of water,' rather, it is reckoned simply as an incalculable, immeasurable great mass of water; so too, monks, for a noble disciple endowed with these four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, it is not easy to take the measure of merit: 'This much is the 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.' Rather, it is reckoned simply as an incalculable, immeasurable great mass of merit."