:: Section I—Sermons for Householders. ::
1. The Happy Householder.
1. Once Anathapindika came to where the Exalted One was, made obeisance to the Exalted One and took a seat at one side.
2. Anathapindika was anxious to know wherein lay the happiness of a householder.
3. Accordingly Anathapindika asked the Lord to explain to him the secret of the householder's happiness.
4. The Lord said first is the happiness of possession. A householder is possessed of wealth, justly and righteously acquired by great industry, amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow). At the thought ' I am possessed of wealth justly gained ' he gains happiness.
5. Second is the happiness of enjoyment. A householder is possessed of wealth justly and righteously acquired by great industry amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow), enjoys his wealth and performs acts of merit. Thus at the thought ' I am doing meritorious deeds with my wealth which was justly gained ' and so forth he gains happiness.
6. Third is the happiness of freedom from debt. A householder, owes no one any debt great or small, thus he gains happiness, thus he at the thought of ' I owe no man anything' and so forth, gains happiness.
7. Fourth is the happiness of blamelessness. A householder, who is endowed with blameless action of body, blameless speech and blameless thinking, gains happiness of blamelessness.
8. Verily, Anathapindika, these four kinds' of happiness are constantly obtainable by the householder, if he strives for them.
1. The Happy Householder.
1. Once Anathapindika came to where the Exalted One was, made obeisance to the Exalted One and took a seat at one side.
2. Anathapindika was anxious to know wherein lay the happiness of a householder.
3. Accordingly Anathapindika asked the Lord to explain to him the secret of the householder's happiness.
4. The Lord said first is the happiness of possession. A householder is possessed of wealth, justly and righteously acquired by great industry, amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow). At the thought ' I am possessed of wealth justly gained ' he gains happiness.
5. Second is the happiness of enjoyment. A householder is possessed of wealth justly and righteously acquired by great industry amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow), enjoys his wealth and performs acts of merit. Thus at the thought ' I am doing meritorious deeds with my wealth which was justly gained ' and so forth he gains happiness.
6. Third is the happiness of freedom from debt. A householder, owes no one any debt great or small, thus he gains happiness, thus he at the thought of ' I owe no man anything' and so forth, gains happiness.
7. Fourth is the happiness of blamelessness. A householder, who is endowed with blameless action of body, blameless speech and blameless thinking, gains happiness of blamelessness.
8. Verily, Anathapindika, these four kinds' of happiness are constantly obtainable by the householder, if he strives for them.
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