[34] Bhikkhus, there are these four foremost kinds of confidence (aggappasāda). What four?
Bhikkhus, as far as there are beings — whether footless or two-footed or four-footed or many-footed, whether having form or formless, whether percipient or non-percipient or neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient — the Tathāgata, the Accomplished One (arahaṃ), the Fully Self-Enlightened One (sammāsambuddho), is declared the foremost of them. Bhikkhus, those who have confidence in the Buddha have confidence in the foremost; and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.
Bhikkhus, as far as there are dhammas that are conditioned, the noble eightfold path is declared the foremost of them. Bhikkhus, those who have confidence in the noble eightfold path have confidence in the foremost; and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.
Bhikkhus, as far as there are dhammas, whether conditioned or unconditioned, dispassion (virāga) is declared the foremost of them — that is, the crushing of intoxication, the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the cutting off of the round, the destruction of craving (taṇhā), dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Bhikkhus, those who have confidence in the Dhamma of dispassion have confidence in the foremost; and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.
Bhikkhus, as far as there are communities or groups, the Saṅgha of the Tathāgata's disciples is declared the foremost of them — that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual persons; this Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Bhikkhus, those who have confidence in the Saṅgha have confidence in the foremost; and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.
These, bhikkhus, are the four foremost kinds of confidence.
For those confident in the foremost,
knowing the foremost Dhamma;
confident in the Buddha, the foremost,
worthy of offerings, unsurpassed;
confident in the Dhamma, the foremost,
the happiness of dispassion and peace;
confident in the Saṅgha, the foremost,
the unsurpassed field of merit;
for those giving gifts to the foremost,
foremost merit increases —
foremost lifespan and beauty,
fame, renown, happiness, and strength.
The wise one, a giver to the foremost,
established in the foremost Dhamma,
whether become a deva or a human,
having attained the foremost, rejoices.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.