Overflowing MeritAbhisandasutta

“Mendicants, there are these eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti. What eight?Katame aṭṭha?

Firstly, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Buddha.Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. This is the first kind of overflowing merit …Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the teaching.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. This is the second kind of overflowing merit …Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puññābhisando …pe… saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. This is the third kind of overflowing merit …Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Mendicants, these five gifts are great, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them.Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. What five?Katamāni pañca?

Firstly, a noble disciple gives up killing living creatures.Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti. By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti, averaṁ deti, abyābajjhaṁ deti. And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. This is the first gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it.Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit …Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up stealing. …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti This is the fifth kind of overflowing merit ……pe…

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up sexual misconduct. …kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti This is the sixth kind of overflowing merit ……pe…

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up lying. …musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti This is the seventh kind of overflowing merit ……pe…

Furthermore, a noble disciple gives up intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti averaṁ deti abyābajjhaṁ deti. And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā, aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti. This is the fifth gift that is a great offering, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. It is uncorrupted, as it has been since the beginning. It’s not being corrupted now nor will it be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on it.Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ dānaṁ mahādānaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkiyati na saṅkiyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. This is the eighth kind of overflowing merit …Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.

These are the eight kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness. They nurture happiness and are conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. They lead to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā, iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantī”ti.