1"Bhikkhus, there are these four streams of merit. … What four?

1"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.

2"Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha … in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha. …

2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … .

3"Again, bhikkhus, a noble disciple dwells at home with a mind devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, one devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.

"These are the four streams of merit. …

3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato. Ayaṁ catuttho puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puññābhisandā, kusalābhisandā, sukhassāhārā.

4"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple possesses these four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, it is not easy to take the measure of his merit thus: ‘Just so much is his stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness’; rather, it is reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

4Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi puññābhisandehi kusalābhisandehi samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gaṇetuṁ: ‘ettako puññābhisando, kusalābhisando, sukhassāhāro’ti. Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

5"Bhikkhus, just as in the place where these great rivers meet and converge—namely, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, and the Mahi—it is not easy to take the measure of the water there thus: ‘There are so many gallons of water’ … but rather it is reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water; so too, when a noble disciple possesses these four streams of merit … it is reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit."

5Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ – gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, tattha 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.

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

Idamavoca bhagavā … pe … satthā: 

6"Just as the many rivers used by the hosts of people,
Flowing downstream, finally reach the ocean,
The great mass of water, the boundless sea,
The fearsome receptacle of heaps of gems;

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

7"So the streams of merit reach the wise man—
Giver of food, drink, and clothes,
Provider of beds, seats, and coverlets —
As the rivers carry their waters to the sea." sn.v.401

7Evaṁ naraṁ annapānavatthadadaṁ,
Seyyāni paccattharaṇassa dāyakaṁ;
Puññassa dhārā upayanti paṇḍitaṁ,
Najjo yathā vārivahāva sāgaran"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.