1 This indeed was said by the Auspicious One, said by the Arahant, as heard by me:

2 Do not be afraid of merits, O bhikkhus. It is of happiness, O bhikkhus, that this is spoken of, of what is wished for, of what is agreeable, of what is dear, of what is pleasing, that is to say merits. Now I, O bhikkhus, recall experiencing for a long time the results of merits that were wished for, agreeable, dear, pleasing. Having developed a mind of metta for seven years, for seven world cycles I did not come back to this world. During the contracting phase of an aeon, I was headed to the Abhassara [brahma world]. During the expansion phase of the aeon, I arose in an empty brahma palace. There I was Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All Seeing, the Wielder of Power. For thirty six times, O bhikkhus, I was Sakka, the ruler of the devas. For many hundreds of times I was a wheel turning monarch, a righteous king ruling by the dhamma, victorious king of the world who has attained stability of the country, endowed with the seven gems. What to speak of mere national kingship? It occurred to me, O bhikkhus: “Of what fruits of kamma, of what results of kamma, is it that at present I am of such great power, such great might?”It occurred to me, O bhikkhus: “It is of these three fruits of kamma, of these three results of kamma, that at present I am of such great power, such great might. “That is: Generosity, taming and self-control.””

3 This is the meaning of what the Auspicious One said. Thus, this was said there:

Who would practice merits
of the highest kind, with pleasant consequences;
should develop a mind of metta,
with generosity and wholesome conduct.

Having developed these dhammas,
three producers of pleasure;
the wise one arises,
in an unafflictive pleasant world.

4 “This too is the meaning of what was said by the Auspicious One. Thus was heard by me”.

1 vuttaṃ hetaṃ bhagavatā. vuttavarahatā'ti me sutaṃ.

2 mā bhikkhave puññānaṃ bhāyittha. sukhassetaṃ bhikkhave adivacanaṃ iṭṭhassa kantassa piyassa manāpassa yadidaṃ puññāni. abhijānāmi kho panāhaṃ bhikkhave dīgharattaṃ katānaṃ puññānaṃ iṭṭhaṃ kantaṃ piyaṃ manāpaṃ vipākaṃ paccanūbhūtaṃ. satta vassāni mettacittaṃ bhāvetvā satta saṃvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappenayimaṃ lokaṃ punarāgamāsiṃ. saṃvaṭṭamāne sudaṃ bhikkhave kappe ābhassarūpago homi. vivaṭṭamāne kappe suññaṃ buhmavimānaṃ upapajjāmi. tatra sudaṃ bhikkhave brahmā homi mahābrahmā abhibhu anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī. chattiṃsakkhattuṃ kho panāhaṃ bhikkhave sakko ahosiṃ devānamindo. anekasatakkhattuṃ rājā ahosiṃ cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto satataratanasampanno. ko pana vādo padesarajjassa? tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave etadahosi: 'kissa nu kho me idaṃ kammassa phalaṃ, kissa kammassa vipāko, yenāhaṃ etarahi evaṃ mahiddhiko evaṃ mahānubhāvo'ti. tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave etadahosi: tiṇṇaṃ kho me idaṃ kammānaṃ phalaṃ, tiṇṇaṃ kammānaṃ vipāko, yenāhaṃ etarahi evaṃ mahiddhiko evaṃ mahānubhāvo'ti seyyathīdaṃ: dānassa damassa saññamassā'ti.

3 etamatthaṃ bhagavā avoca. tatthetaṃ iti vuccati:

puññameva so sikkheyya,
āyataggaṃ sukhudrayaṃ;
dānañca samacariyañca,
mettacittañca bhāvaye.

ete dhamme bhāvayitvā,
tayo sukhasamudday;
abyāpajjhaṃ sukhaṃ lokaṃ,
paṇḍito upapajjatī"tī.

4 ayampi atthe vutto bhagavatā. iti me sutanti.