[179] Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, surrounded by about five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta: "Sāriputta, any white-clothed householder whom you might know whose actions are restrained by the five training rules, and who obtains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four pleasant dwellings in this very life pertaining to the higher mind (ābhicetasika diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāra) — he, if he so wishes, may declare of himself by himself: 'I am one for whom hell is finished, for whom the animal realm is finished, for whom the realm of hungry ghosts is finished, for whom the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world is finished; I am a stream-enterer (sotāpanna), no longer subject to downfall, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as my final goal.'
"In which five training rules are his actions restrained? Here, Sāriputta, a noble disciple abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, and abstains from fermented and distilled intoxicants, which are a basis for heedlessness. In these five training rules his actions are restrained.
"Which four pleasant dwellings in this very life pertaining to the higher mind does he obtain at will, without trouble, without difficulty? Here, Sāriputta, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One: an arahant, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, awakened, blessed.' This is the first pleasant dwelling in this very life pertaining to the higher mind that he has attained, for the purification of the mind (citta) that is unpurified, for the cleansing of the mind that is uncleansed.
"Furthermore, Sāriputta, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Dhamma: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, to be seen for oneself, timeless, inviting inspection, onward-leading, to be known individually by the wise.' This is the second pleasant dwelling in this very life pertaining to the higher mind that he has attained, for the purification of the mind that is unpurified, for the cleansing of the mind that is uncleansed.
"Furthermore, Sāriputta, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha: 'Of good conduct is the community of disciples of the Blessed One; of upright conduct is the community of disciples of the Blessed One; of right conduct is the community of disciples of the Blessed One; of proper conduct is the community of disciples of the Blessed One — that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this community of disciples of the Blessed One is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' This is the third pleasant dwelling in this very life pertaining to the higher mind that he has attained, for the purification of the mind that is unpurified, for the cleansing of the mind that is uncleansed.
"Furthermore, Sāriputta, a noble disciple is endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones — unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, liberating, praised by the wise, conducive to concentration (samādhi). This is the fourth pleasant dwelling in this very life pertaining to the higher mind that he has attained, for the purification of the mind that is unpurified, for the cleansing of the mind that is uncleansed. These are the four pleasant dwellings in this very life pertaining to the higher mind that he obtains at will, without trouble, without difficulty.
"Sāriputta, any white-clothed householder whom you might know whose actions are restrained by these five training rules, and who obtains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, these four pleasant dwellings in this very life pertaining to the higher mind — he, if he so wishes, may declare of himself by himself: 'I am one for whom hell is finished, for whom the animal realm is finished, for whom the realm of hungry ghosts is finished, for whom the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world is finished; I am a stream-enterer, no longer subject to downfall, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as my final goal.'
Having seen the danger in the hells, one should avoid evils;
having undertaken the noble Dhamma, the wise one should avoid them.
One should not harm living beings while the ability to strive exists;
one should not knowingly speak falsehood, nor lay hold of what is not given.
Content with one's own wife, one should not delight in the wives of others.
A person should not drink fermented and distilled liquor, which deludes the mind.
One should recollect the Fully Enlightened One, and reflect upon the Dhamma;
one should develop a mind free of ill will and beneficent, conducive to the deva world.
When a gift to be given (deyyadhamma) is at hand, for one desiring and seeking merit,
an offering (dakkhiṇā) given first to the good becomes abundant.
I shall indeed declare the good; Sāriputta, listen to me.
Just as among cattle, whether black, white, red, tawny,
mottled, of uniform color, or dove-colored —
among whichever of these a tamed bull is born,
a load-bearer, endowed with strength, of good speed and exertion —
it is that very one they yoke to the burden; they do not scrutinize its color —
even so among human beings, in whatever kind of birth,
among khattiyas, brāhmaṇas, vessas, suddas, caṇḍālas, or pukkusas —
among whichever of these one is born tamed, of good vows,
standing in the Dhamma, accomplished in virtue, a speaker of truth, conscientious in mind,
who has abandoned birth and death, complete in the holy life,
with burden laid down, detached, his task done, free of taints (āsava),
gone beyond all dhammas, quenched through non-clinging —
in that stainless field an offering becomes abundant.
But fools, unknowing, of poor wisdom, unlearned,
give their gifts to outsiders and do not attend upon the good.
But those who attend upon the good — the wise, esteemed as sages —
and whose faith in the Sugata has taken root and is established:
they go to the deva world, or are born here in a good family;
by stages the wise attain Nibbāna.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.