[43] Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side. As Anāthapiṇḍika the householder sat at one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Householder, there are these five things (dhammas) that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. What five? Long life, householder, is wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. Beauty (vaṇṇa) is wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. Happiness is wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. Fame is wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. The heavens are wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world. These, householder, are the five things that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world.
"Of these five things, householder, wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world, I do not say that they are obtained by reason of prayers or by reason of wishes. If, householder, these five things, wished for, desired, agreeable, and hard to obtain in the world, could be obtained by reason of prayers or by reason of wishes, who here would lack anything? It is not fitting, householder, for a noble disciple who desires long life to pray for long life or to delight in it, or [to do so] even for the sake of long life. A noble disciple who desires long life, householder, should practise the way of practice (paṭipadā) that conduces to long life; for when the way of practice conducing to long life is practised by him, it leads to the obtaining of long life, and he becomes one who gains long life, whether divine or human. It is not fitting, householder, for a noble disciple who desires beauty to pray for beauty or to delight in it, or [to do so] even for the sake of beauty. A noble disciple who desires beauty, householder, should practise the way of practice that conduces to beauty; for when the way of practice conducing to beauty is practised by him, it leads to the obtaining of beauty, and he becomes one who gains beauty, whether divine or human. It is not fitting, householder, for a noble disciple who desires happiness to pray for happiness or to delight in it, or [to do so] even for the sake of happiness. A noble disciple who desires happiness, householder, should practise the way of practice that conduces to happiness; for when the way of practice conducing to happiness is practised by him, it leads to the obtaining of happiness, and he becomes one who gains happiness, whether divine or human. It is not fitting, householder, for a noble disciple who desires fame to pray for fame or to delight in it, or [to do so] even for the sake of fame. A noble disciple who desires fame, householder, should practise the way of practice that conduces to fame; for when the way of practice conducing to fame is practised by him, it leads to the obtaining of fame, and he becomes one who gains fame, whether divine or human. It is not fitting, householder, for a noble disciple who desires heaven to pray for heaven or to delight in it, or [to do so] even for the sake of the heavens. A noble disciple who desires heaven, householder, should practise the way of practice that conduces to heaven; for when the way of practice conducing to heaven is practised by him, it leads to the obtaining of heaven, and he becomes one who gains the heavens."
For one who wishes for long life, beauty, fame, honour,
heaven, birth in a high family,
and lofty delights following one upon another,
the wise praise heedfulness in the doing of meritorious deeds.
The wise person who is heedful
secures both benefits:
the benefit in this present life
and the benefit pertaining to the life to come.
By attaining what is beneficial the steadfast one
is called a wise person.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.