90. Foremost Faith

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tayome, bhikkhave, aggappasādā.

Katame tayo?

Yāvatā, bhikkhave, sattā apadā vā dvipadā vā catuppadā vā bahuppadā vā rūpino vā arūpino vā saññino vā asaññino vā nevasaññināsaññino vā, tathāgato tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho.

Ye, bhikkhave, buddhe pasannā, agge te pasannā.

Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

Yāvatā, bhikkhave, dhammā saṅkhatā vā asaṅkhatā vā, virāgo tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ madanimmadano pipāsavinayo ālayasamugghāto vaṭṭupacchedo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ.

Ye, bhikkhave, virāge dhamme pasannā, agge te pasannā.

Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

Yāvatā, bhikkhave, saṅghā vā gaṇā vā, tathāgatasāvakasaṅgho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Ye, bhikkhave, saṅghe pasannā, agge te pasannā.

Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo aggappasādā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Aggato ve pasannānaṁ,

aggaṁ dhammaṁ vijānataṁ;

Agge buddhe pasannānaṁ,

dakkhiṇeyye anuttare.

Agge dhamme pasannānaṁ,

virāgūpasame sukhe;

Agge saṅghe pasannānaṁ,

puññakkhette anuttare.

Aggasmiṁ dānaṁ dadataṁ,

aggaṁ puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati;

Aggaṁ āyu ca vaṇṇo ca,

yaso kitti sukhaṁ balaṁ.

Aggassa dātā medhāvī,

aggadhammasamāhito;

Devabhūto manusso vā,

aggappatto pamodatī”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, there are these three foremost kinds of faith. What are the three?

“Whatever beings there are, whether footless or two-footed or four-footed, with form or without form, percipient or non-percipient or neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient, of these the Tathāgata is reckoned foremost, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. Those who have faith in the Buddha have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.

“Whatever states there are, whether conditioned or unconditioned, of these detachment is reckoned foremost, that is, the subduing of vanity, the elimination of thirst, the removal of reliance, the termination of the round (of rebirths), the destruction of craving, detachment, cessation, Nibbāna. Those who have faith in the Dhamma of detachment have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.

“Whatever communities or groups there are, bhikkhus, of these the Sangha of the Tathāgata’s disciples is reckoned foremost, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individuals. This Sangha of the Lord’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassable field of merit for the world. Those who have faith in the Sangha have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.

“These, bhikkhus, are the three foremost kinds of faith.”

This is foremost for those with faith,
For those who know the foremost Dhamma:
Having faith in the Buddha as foremost,
Worthy of offerings, unsurpassed;

Having faith in the Dhamma as foremost,
The peace of detachment, bliss;
Having faith in the Sangha as foremost,
A field of merit unsurpassed.

Distributing gifts among the foremost,
Foremost is the merit that accrues;
Foremost their life and beauty,
Fame, reputation, happiness, and strength.

The wise one who gives to the foremost,
Concentrated on the foremost Dhamma,
Whether he becomes a deva or a human,
Rejoices in his foremost attainment.