Overflowing Merit (1st)Paṭhamapuññābhisandasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā. What four?Katame cattāro? Firstly, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— This is the first kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.Ayaṁ paṭhamo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the teaching …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— This is the second kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.Ayaṁ dutiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Saṅgha …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— This is the third kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.Ayaṁ tatiyo puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Furthermore, a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. This is the fourth kind of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness.Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro. These are the four kinds of overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurture happiness.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā”ti.