[129] Bhikkhus, there are these eight streams of merit (puññābhisandā), streams of the wholesome (kusalābhisandā), nutriments of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as their result, conducive to heaven, which lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness. What eight? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has gone to the Buddha for refuge. This, bhikkhus, is the first stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as its result, conducive to heaven, which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has gone to the Dhamma for refuge. This, bhikkhus, is the second stream of merit … leads to ….
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has gone to the Saṅgha for refuge. This, bhikkhus, is the third stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as its result, conducive to heaven, which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness.
Bhikkhus, there are these five gifts (dānāni) — great gifts, known as foremost, known as of long standing, known as the lineage, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which are not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. What five? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple, having abandoned the destruction of life, abstains from the destruction of life. Abstaining from the destruction of life, bhikkhus, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, gives freedom from enmity, gives freedom from affliction. Having given to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, freedom from enmity, and freedom from affliction, he becomes a partaker in immeasurable freedom from fear, freedom from enmity, and freedom from affliction. This, bhikkhus, is the first gift — a great gift, known as foremost, known as of long standing, known as the lineage, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as its result, conducive to heaven, which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a noble disciple, having abandoned taking what is not given, abstains from taking what is not given … having abandoned sexual misconduct, abstains from sexual misconduct … having abandoned false speech, abstains from false speech … having abandoned intoxicants — liquor and spirits — that are a basis for heedlessness, abstains from intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness. Abstaining from intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness, bhikkhus, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, gives freedom from enmity, gives freedom from affliction. Having given to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, freedom from enmity, and freedom from affliction, he becomes a partaker in immeasurable freedom from fear, freedom from enmity, and freedom from affliction. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth gift — a great gift, known as foremost, known as of long standing, known as the lineage, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. This, bhikkhus, is the eighth stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as its result, conducive to heaven, which leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness.
These, bhikkhus, are the eight streams of merit, streams of the wholesome, nutriments of happiness, heavenly, having happiness as their result, conducive to heaven, which lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and to happiness.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.