sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.45

Puññābhisandasutta

Overflowing Merit

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti.
“Mendicants, there are these five 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.

Katame pañca?
What five?

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cīvaraṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.
When a mendicant enters and remains in a limitless immersion of heart while using a robe …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjamāno …pe… yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihāraṁ paribhuñjamāno …pe… yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mañcapīṭhaṁ paribhuñjamāno …pe….
almsfood … lodging … bed and chair …

Yassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjamāno appamāṇaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, appamāṇo tassa puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattati.
medicines and supplies for the sick, the overflowing of merit for the donor is limitless …

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca puññābhisandā kusalābhisandā sukhassāhārā sovaggikā sukhavipākā saggasaṁvattanikā iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti.
These are the five 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.

Imehi ca pana, bhikkhave, pañcahi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:
When a noble disciple has these five kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to grasp how much merit they have by saying that

‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti.
this is the extent of their overflowing merit … that leads to happiness.

Atha kho asaṅkheyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:
It’s like trying to grasp how much water is in the ocean. It’s not easy to say:

‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānīti vā;
‘This is how many gallons, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of gallons there are.’

atha kho asaṅkheyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati’.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imehi pañcahi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:
In the same way, when a noble disciple has these five kinds of overflowing merit and goodness, it’s not easy to grasp how much merit they have:

‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti.
‘This is how much this overflowing merit … leads to happiness.’

Atha kho asaṅkheyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatīti.
It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

Mahodadhiṁ aparimitaṁ mahāsaraṁ,
Hosts of people use the rivers,

Bahubheravaṁ ratnagaṇānamālayaṁ;
and though the rivers are many,

Najjo yathā naragaṇasaṅghasevitā,
all reach the great deep, the boundless ocean,

Puthū savantī upayanti sāgaraṁ.
the cruel sea that’s home to precious gems.

Evaṁ naraṁ annadapānavatthadaṁ,
So too, when a person gives food, drink, and clothes;

Seyyānisajjattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ;
and they’re a giver of beds, seats, and mats—

Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ,
the streams of merit reach that astute person,

Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran”ti.
as the rivers bring their waters to the sea.”

Pañcamaṁ.