[145] Then the brahmin Ujjaya approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the brahmin Ujjaya said this to the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, we wish to go and live abroad. Let Master Gotama teach us the Dhamma in such a way — those things that would be for our welfare and happiness in the present life, and for our welfare and happiness in the life to come."
"Brahmin, these four things lead to a clansman's welfare in the present life and to his happiness in the present life. What four? Accomplishment of diligence (uṭṭhānasampadā), accomplishment of protection (ārakkhasampadā), good friendship (kalyāṇamittatā), and balanced livelihood (samajīvitā).
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of diligence? Here, brahmin, by whatever occupation a clansman earns his living — whether by farming, by trade, by cattle-keeping, by archery, by service to the king, or by any one of the crafts — in that he is skillful and not lazy; endowed with investigation into the proper means, he is able to carry it out and able to arrange it. This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of diligence.
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of protection? Here, brahmin, a clansman possesses wealth obtained by diligence and energy, amassed by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained. He secures it by guarding and protecting it, thinking: 'How shall neither kings carry off this wealth of mine, nor thieves carry it off, nor fire burn it, nor water sweep it away, nor unloved heirs carry it off?' This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of protection.
"And what, brahmin, is good friendship? Here, brahmin, in whatever village or town a clansman dwells, he associates with, converses with, and enters into discussion with those there — whether householders or householders' sons, whether young men of mature virtue or elders of mature virtue — who are accomplished in faith, accomplished in virtue, accomplished in generosity, and accomplished in wisdom. He emulates the accomplishment of faith of such as are accomplished in faith; he emulates the accomplishment of virtue of such as are accomplished in virtue; he emulates the accomplishment of generosity of such as are accomplished in generosity; he emulates the accomplishment of wisdom of such as are accomplished in wisdom. This, brahmin, is called good friendship.
"And what, brahmin, is balanced livelihood? Here, brahmin, a clansman, having known the income of his wealth and having known the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too stingy, thinking: 'Thus my income will stand exceeding my expenditure, and my expenditure will not stand exceeding my income.' Just as, brahmin, a weigher or a weigher's apprentice, holding up the scales, knows: 'By this much it has dipped down; by this much it has risen up,' even so, brahmin, a clansman, having known the income of his wealth and having known the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too stingy, thinking: 'Thus my income will stand exceeding my expenditure, and my expenditure will not stand exceeding my income.' If, brahmin, this clansman, having a small income, leads a lavish life, there will be those who say of him: 'This clansman devours his wealth like a fig-eater.' But if, brahmin, this clansman, having a great income, leads a wretched life, there will be those who say of him: 'This clansman will die like a starveling.' But when, brahmin, this clansman, having known the income of his wealth and having known the expenditure of his wealth, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too stingy, thinking: 'Thus my income will stand exceeding my expenditure, and my expenditure will not stand exceeding my income' — this, brahmin, is called balanced livelihood.
"For wealth thus amassed, brahmin, there are four channels of dissipation: being a debauchee with women, a drunkard, a gambler; and having evil friends, evil companions, evil intimates. Just as, brahmin, in the case of a great reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, if a man were to close the inlets and open the outlets, and the sky were not to send down proper showers of rain, then for that great reservoir, brahmin, decline is to be expected, not growth — even so, brahmin, for wealth thus amassed there are four channels of dissipation: being a debauchee with women, a drunkard, a gambler; and having evil friends, evil companions, evil intimates.
"For wealth thus amassed, brahmin, there are four channels of accrual: not being a debauchee with women, not a drunkard, not a gambler; and having good friends, good companions, good intimates. Just as, brahmin, in the case of a great reservoir with four inlets and four outlets, if a man were to open the inlets and close the outlets, and the sky were to send down proper showers of rain, then for that great reservoir, brahmin, growth is to be expected, not decline — even so, brahmin, for wealth thus amassed there are four channels of accrual: not being a debauchee with women … good intimates. These, brahmin, are the four things that lead to a clansman's welfare in the present life and to his happiness in the present life.
"Brahmin, these four things lead to a clansman's welfare in the life to come and to his happiness in the life to come. What four? Accomplishment of faith (saddhāsampadā), accomplishment of virtue (sīlasampadā), accomplishment of generosity (cāgasampadā), and accomplishment of wisdom (paññāsampadā).
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of faith? Here, brahmin, a clansman is endowed with faith; he has faith in the awakening of the Tathāgata: 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One … teacher of devas and human beings, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of faith.
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of virtue? Here, brahmin, a clansman abstains from the destruction of life … he abstains from wines, liquors, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness. This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of virtue.
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of generosity? Here, brahmin, a clansman dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing. This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of generosity.
"And what, brahmin, is accomplishment of wisdom? Here, brahmin, a clansman is wise … leading to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha). This, brahmin, is called accomplishment of wisdom. These, brahmin, are the four things that lead to a clansman's welfare in the life to come and to his happiness in the life to come."
Diligent in his tasks, heedless not, prudent in arrangement,
he leads a balanced life and guards what he has gathered.
Endowed with faith, accomplished in virtue,
responsive to entreaty, free from stinginess,
he constantly purifies the path
to safety in the world to come.
Thus these eight qualities of the faithful seeker of the household life
have been declared by him whose name is Truth
to bring happiness in both respects:
for welfare and benefit in the present life,
and for happiness in the life to come.
Thus for householders this generosity and merit increase.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.