[52] Bhikkhus, there are these four streams of merit (puññābhisanda), streams of the wholesome, nourishers of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness. What four?
Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple (ariyasāvaka) is possessed of unwavering confidence (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha thus: "Thus indeed is that Blessed One: an arahant, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed." This, bhikkhus, is the first stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nourisher of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple is possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: "Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dhamma: to be seen for oneself, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be personally experienced by the wise." This, bhikkhus, is the second stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nourisher of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple is possessed of unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha thus: "Of good conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of upright conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of right conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of proper conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples — that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals. 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." This, bhikkhus, is the third stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nourisher of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple is possessed of the virtues (sīla) dear to the noble ones — unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped-at, conducive to concentration (samādhi). This, bhikkhus, is the fourth stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nourisher of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
These, bhikkhus, are the four streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, nourishers of happiness — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven — which lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
One whose faith in the Tathāgata
is unshaken and well established,
whose virtue is good,
dear to the noble ones and praised;
who has confidence in the Saṅgha
and vision that has become upright —
they call him "not poor";
his life is not lived in vain.
Therefore the wise person,
remembering the teaching of the Buddhas,
should devote himself to faith and virtue,
to confidence and the vision of the Dhamma.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.