[311] "What here is a man's best wealth?
What, when well practiced, brings happiness?
What indeed is the most excellent of tastes?
One living in what way do they say lives the best life?"
"Faith (saddhā) is here a man's best wealth;
the Dhamma, when well practiced, brings happiness;
truth (sacca) indeed is the most excellent of tastes;
one living by wisdom (paññā), they say, lives the best life."
"How does one cross the flood (ogha)?
How does one cross the ocean?
How does one pass beyond suffering (dukkha)?
How is one purified?"
"By faith one crosses the flood;
by heedfulness (appamāda) one crosses the ocean;
by energy (vīriya) one passes beyond suffering;
by wisdom one is purified."
"How does one gain wisdom?
How does one find wealth?
How does one attain fame?
How does one bind friends to oneself?
How, when one has passed from this world to the world beyond,
does one not sorrow?"
"Having faith in the Dhamma of the Arahants
for the attainment of Nibbāna,
one eager to listen gains wisdom,
being heedful and discerning.
Doing what is fitting, dutiful,
one who exerts himself finds wealth.
By truth one attains fame;
by giving one binds friends to oneself."
"In whatever faithful seeker of the household life
these four qualities are found —
truth, Dhamma, steadfastness (dhiti), and generosity (cāga) —
he indeed does not sorrow when he has passed away."
"Come now, ask others as well,
the many ascetics and brahmins,
whether anything greater is found here
than truth, self-control (dama), generosity, and patience (khanti)."
"Why now should I ask
the many ascetics and brahmins,
when today I understand
the good that pertains to the world to come?
Truly for my benefit the Buddha
came to dwell at Āḷavī.
Today I understand
where what is given bears great fruit;
so I shall wander
from village to village, from town to town,
paying homage to the Fully Enlightened One
and to the excellence of the Dhamma."
The Āḷavaka Sutta, the tenth.
The Vijaya Sutta, the eleventh in the Uraga Vagga of the Suttanipāta.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.