Abhisanda Sutta
Abhisanda Sutta: Bonanzas (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced masterfully in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. This is the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of bliss."
