Saddhasutta

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, saddhe kulaputte ānisaṁsā. Katame pañca? Ye te, bhikkhave, loke santo sappurisā te saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desenti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddho kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca saddhe kulaputte ānisaṁsā.

“Mendicants, a faithful gentleman gets five benefits. What five? The true persons in the world show sympathy first to the faithful, not so much to the unfaithful. They first approach the faithful, not so much the unfaithful. They first receive alms from the faithful, not so much the unfaithful. They first teach Dhamma to the faithful, not so much the unfaithful. When their body breaks up, after death, the faithful are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. A faithful gentleman gets these five benefits.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, subhūmiyaṁ catumahāpathe mahānigrodho samantā pakkhīnaṁ paṭisaraṇaṁ hoti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saddho kulaputto bahuno janassa paṭisaraṇaṁ hoti bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānanti.

Suppose there was a great banyan tree at a level crossroads. It would become a refuge for birds from all around. In the same way, a faithful gentleman becomes a refuge for many people—monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen.

Sākhāpattaphalūpeto, khandhimāva mahādumo; Mūlavā phalasampanno, patiṭṭhā hoti pakkhinaṁ.

With its branches, leaves, and fruit, a great tree with its strong trunk, firmly-rooted and fruit-bearing, supports many birds.

Manorame āyatane, sevanti naṁ vihaṅgamā; Chāyaṁ chāyatthikā yanti, phalatthā phalabhojino.

It’s a lovely place, frequented by the sky-soarers. Those that need shade go in the shade, those that need fruit enjoy the fruit.

Tatheva sīlasampannaṁ, saddhaṁ purisapuggalaṁ; Nivātavuttiṁ atthaddhaṁ, sorataṁ sakhilaṁ muduṁ.

So too, a faithful individual is perfect in ethics, placid in manner and amenable, gentle, courteous, and tender.

Vītarāgā vītadosā, vītamohā anāsavā; Puññakkhettāni lokasmiṁ, sevanti tādisaṁ naraṁ.

Those free of greed, freed of hate, free of delusion, undefiled, fields of merit for the world, associate with such a person.

Te tassa dhammaṁ desenti, Sabbadukkhāpanūdanaṁ; Yaṁ so dhammaṁ idhaññāya, Parinibbāti anāsavo”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.

They teach them the Dhamma, that casts aside all suffering. Having understood this teaching, the undefiled one is fully extinguished.”