A Great Gift

A Great Gift

"Bhikkhus, here, a noble disciple, having abandoned the destruction of life, abstains from the destruction of life. 

By abstaining from the destruction of life, the noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. 

He himself in turn enjoys immeasurable freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. This is the first gift, a great gift, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins.

This is the stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness- -heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven--that leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to one's welfare and happiness."  

"Again, a noble disciple, having abandoned the talking of what is not given, abstains from talking what is not given. 

By abstaining from the taking what is not given, the noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. 

He himself in turn enjoys immeasurable freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. This is the second gift, a great gift, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins.

This is the stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness- -heavenly ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven- -that leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to one's welfare and happiness."

"Again, a noble disciple, having abandoned from sexual misconduct, abstains from sexual misconduct. 

 By abstaining from sexual misconduct, the noble disciple gives to an immeasurable number of beings freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. 

He himself in turn enjoys immeasurable freedom from fear, enmity, and affliction. This is the third gift, a great gift, primal, of long standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated and never before adulterated, which is not being adulterated and will not be adulterated, not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins.

This is the stream of merit, stream of the wholesome, nutriment of happiness- -heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven- -that leads to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to one's welfare and happiness."

  

~ Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.)

15th November, 2022