SN 55.41

Paṭhamaabhisandasutta

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā. Katame cattāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Ayaṁ paṭhamo puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro.

Overflowing Merit (1st)

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe….

the teaching … the Saṅgha …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.

Furthermore, they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. … These are the four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ: ‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

When a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness. It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ: ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānī’ti vā ‘ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānī’ti vāti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imehi catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ: ‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatī”ti.

It’s like trying to count how much water is in the ocean. It’s not easy to say how many gallons, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of gallons there are. It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water. In the same way, when a noble disciple has these four kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to count how much merit they have by saying that this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness. It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Mahodadhiṁ aparimitaṁ mahāsaraṁ, Bahubheravaṁ ratanagaṇānamālayaṁ; Najjo yathā naragaṇasaṅghasevitā, Puthū savantī upayanti sāgaraṁ.

“Hosts of people use the rivers, and though the rivers are many, all reach the great deep, the boundless ocean, the cruel sea that’s home to precious gems.

Evaṁ naraṁ annapānavatthadadaṁ, Seyyāni paccattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ; Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ, Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran”ti.

So too, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes; and they’re a giver of beds, seats, and mats— the streams of merit reach that astute person, as the rivers bring their waters to the sea.”