Aṅguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
VII. Pattakamma Vagga

The Book of the Fours

VII: Deeds of Merit

Sutta 62

Anaṇa Suttaṃ

Debtless

 

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[69] [77]

THUS have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Now the housefather Anāthapiṇḍika came to visit the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.

As he thus sat
the Exalted One said this to the housefather Anāthapiṇḍika:

'House father, there are these four kinds of bliss
to be won by the householder
who enjoys the pleasures of sense
from time to time
and when occasion offers.

What four?

The bliss of ownership,¹
the bliss of wealth,
the bliss of doubtlessness,
the bliss of blamelessness.

And what, housefather, is the bliss of ownership?

[78] In this case a clansman has wealth
acquired by energetic striving,
amassed by strength of arm,
won by sweat,
lawful
and lawfully gotten.

At the thought:

Wealth is mine
acquired by energetic striving,
amassed by strength of arm,
won by sweat,
lawful
and lawfully gotten,
bliss comes to him,
satisfaction comes to him.

This, housefather, is called
"the bliss of ownership."

And what is the bliss of wealth?

In this case, housefather,
a clansman by means of wealth
acquired by energetic striving,
amassed by strength of arm,
won by sweat,
lawful
and lawfully gotten,
both enjoys his wealth
and does meritorious deeds therewith.

At the thought:

By means of wealth
acquired by energetic striving,
amassed by strength of arm,
won by sweat,
lawful
and lawfully gotten,
I both enjoy my wealth
and do meritorious deeds,
bliss comes to him,
satisfaction comes to him.

This, housefather, is called
"the bliss of wealth."

And what is the bliss of doubtlessness?

In this case a clansman
owes no debt
great or small
to anyone.

At the thought:

I owe no debt,
great or small,
to anyone,
bliss comes to him,
satisfaction comes to him.

This, housefather, is called
"the bliss of doubtlessness."

And what is the bliss of blamelessness?

In this case, housefather,
the Ariyan disciple is blessed
with blameless action of body,
blameless action of speech,
blameless action of mind.

At the thought:

I am blessed
with blameless action of body,
with blameless action of speech
with blameless action of mind,
bliss comes to him,
satisfaction comes to him.

This is called
"the bliss of blamelessness."

Such, housefather, are the four kinds of bliss
to be won by the householder
who enjoys the pleasures of sense
from time to time
when occasion offers.

Winning the bliss of doubtlessness a man
May then recall the bliss of really having.
When he enjoys the bliss of wealth, he sees
'Tis such² by wisdom. When he sees he knows.
Thus is he wise indeed in both respects.
But these have not one-sixteenth of the bliss
(That cometh to a man) of blamelessness.

 

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¹ Atthi-sukhaṃ: 'the bliss of "there-is."'

² Text tatho; Sinh. text tato.