Confidence

Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

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[34] [421]

[1][pts] "Bhikkhus, there are these four foremost kinds of confidence.

What four?

(1) "To whatever extent there are beings, whether footless or with two feet, four feet, or many feet, whether having form or formless, whether percipient or non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is declared the foremost among them.

Those who have confidence in the Buddha have confidence in the foremost, and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.

[422] (2) "To whatever extent there are phenomena that are conditioned, the noble eightfold path is declared the foremost among them.

Those who have confidence in the noble eightfold path have confidence in the foremost, and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.

"Conditioned" here and below is saṅkhatā, PED sp. sankhata pp. of sankharoti; to put together, prepare, work > to cook up. The use of 'conditioned' as the translation of this term (sanctioned by PED) is problematic. There is a huge distinction between that which is cooked up, constructed, manufactured, compounded or own-made (it is strange that PED does not relate this term to saṅkhāra or saṅkhāra to this term) and that which has come to be, or is, dependent on something. The former speaks of the manner of creation, the later of an attribute of the created thing. The eightfold path was constructed by Gotama. Once concocted it is no longer dependent on, or conditioned by him.

— p.p.

(3) "To whatever extent there are phenomena conditioned or unconditioned, dispassion is declared the foremost among them, that is, the crushing of pride, the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the termination of the round, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.

Those who have confidence in the Dhamma have confidence in the foremost, and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.

(4) "To whatever extent there are Saṅgha's or groups, the Saṅgha of the Tathāgata's disciples is declared the foremost among them, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals — this Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.

[35] Those who have confidence in the Saṅgha have confidence in the foremost, and for those who have confidence in the foremost, the result is foremost.

"These are the four foremost kinds of confidence."

For those confident in regard to the foremost,
knowing the foremost Dhamma,
confident in the Buddha — the foremost —
unsurpassed, worthy of offerings;

for those confident in the foremost Dhamma,
in the blissful peace of dispassion;
for those confident in the foremost Saṅgha ,
the unsurpassed field of merit;

for those giving gifts to the foremost,
the foremost kind of merit increases:
the foremost life span, beauty, and glory,
good reputation, happiness, and strength.

The wise one who gives to the foremost,
concentrated upon the foremost Dhamma,
having become a deva or a human being,
rejoices, having attained the foremost.

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4. Catukka Nipāta IV. Cakka Vagga

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha IV. The Book of the Fours IV. The Wheel

Sutta 34

Aggappasāda Suttaɱ

Confidence

Aṅguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
IV. Cakka Vagga

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
IV. The Book of the Fours
IV. The Wheel