[209] Bhikkhus, there are these four powers (bala). What four? The power of wisdom (paññābala), the power of energy (vīriyabala), the power of blamelessness (anavajjabala), and the power of sympathy (saṅgahabala).
And what, bhikkhus, is the power of wisdom? Those dhammas that are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome; those dhammas that are unwholesome and reckoned as unwholesome; those dhammas that are blameworthy and reckoned as blameworthy; those dhammas that are blameless and reckoned as blameless; those dhammas that are dark and reckoned as dark; those dhammas that are bright and reckoned as bright; those dhammas that are not to be cultivated and reckoned as not to be cultivated; those dhammas that are to be cultivated and reckoned as to be cultivated; those dhammas that are unworthy of the noble ones and reckoned as unworthy of the noble ones; those dhammas that are worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones — those dhammas he has clearly seen and clearly explored with wisdom. This, bhikkhus, is called the power of wisdom.
And what, bhikkhus, is the power of energy? Those dhammas that are unwholesome and reckoned as unwholesome; those dhammas that are blameworthy and reckoned as blameworthy; those dhammas that are dark and reckoned as dark; those dhammas that are not to be cultivated and reckoned as not to be cultivated; those dhammas that are unworthy of the noble ones and reckoned as unworthy of the noble ones — for the abandoning of those dhammas he generates desire (chanda), makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind (citta), and strives. Those dhammas that are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome; those dhammas that are blameless and reckoned as blameless; those dhammas that are bright and reckoned as bright; those dhammas that are to be cultivated and reckoned as to be cultivated; those dhammas that are worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones — for the obtaining of those dhammas he generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. This, bhikkhus, is called the power of energy.
And what, bhikkhus, is the power of blamelessness? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple is endowed with blameless bodily action, endowed with blameless verbal action, endowed with blameless mental action. This, bhikkhus, is called the power of blamelessness.
And what, bhikkhus, is the power of sympathy? There are, bhikkhus, these four bases of sympathy (saṅgahavatthu): giving (dāna), kindly speech (peyyavajja), useful conduct (atthacariyā), and equal treatment (samānattatā). This, bhikkhus, is the foremost of gifts, namely, the gift of Dhamma. This, bhikkhus, is the foremost of kindly speech, namely, that one teaches the Dhamma again and again to one who desires it and who lends an ear. This, bhikkhus, is the foremost of useful conduct, namely, that one encourages, settles, and establishes a person without faith in the accomplishment of faith, an immoral person in the accomplishment of virtue, a miserly person in the accomplishment of generosity, and an unwise person in the accomplishment of wisdom — encouraging, settling, and establishing them therein. This, bhikkhus, is the foremost of equal treatment, namely, the equality of a stream-enterer with a stream-enterer, the equality of a once-returner with a once-returner, the equality of a non-returner with a non-returner, the equality of an arahant with an arahant. This, bhikkhus, is called the power of sympathy. These, bhikkhus, are the four powers.
Bhikkhus, a noble disciple endowed with these four powers has transcended five fears. What five? Fear regarding livelihood, fear of disrepute, fear of timidity in assemblies, fear of death, and fear of a bad destination. Bhikkhus, that noble disciple reflects thus: "I am not afraid of the fear regarding livelihood. Why should I be afraid of the fear regarding livelihood? I have the four powers: the power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, and the power of sympathy. One of poor wisdom might be afraid of the fear regarding livelihood; a lazy person might be afraid of the fear regarding livelihood; one of blameworthy bodily action, verbal action, and mental action might be afraid of the fear regarding livelihood; one who gives no help to others might be afraid of the fear regarding livelihood. I am not afraid of the fear of disrepute … I am not afraid of the fear of timidity in assemblies; I am not afraid of the fear of death; I am not afraid of the fear of a bad destination. Why should I be afraid of the fear of a bad destination? I have the four powers: the power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, and the power of sympathy. One of poor wisdom might be afraid of the fear of a bad destination; a lazy person might be afraid of the fear of a bad destination; one of blameworthy bodily action, verbal action, and mental action might be afraid of the fear of a bad destination; one who gives no help to others might be afraid of the fear of a bad destination." Bhikkhus, a noble disciple endowed with these four powers has transcended these five fears.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.