This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard:
“Monks, don’t be afraid to do deeds of merit. This is a synonym for happiness that is desirable, pleasing, charming, dear, and agreeable, that is ‘meritorious deeds.’ Monks, for I know well that for a long time I experienced desirable, pleasing, charming, dear, and agreeable results from long performed meritorious deeds. As a result of developing a mind of loving kindness for seven years, I did not return to this world for seven eons of world destruction and forming. Monks, when the eon was ending, I entered the Ābhassara brahma world and when the eon was forming, I was born in an empty brahma mansion. There, I was the Brahma, the Great Brahma, the unconquered victor, the all-seeing one, and the wielder of power. Thirty-six times, I was Sakka, lord of gods. For many hundreds of times, I was a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king of Dhamma, conqueror of the four quarters of the earth, maintaining stable control over every kingdom, and endowed with the seven treasures. What need is there to speak of times when I was a local king? Monks, it occurred to me, ‘what actions of mine result in the fruit, result in now having such great power and might?’ Then monks, it occurred to me, ‘this is the fruit of three types of actions, the result of three types of actions that I now have such great power and might: giving, self-control, and restraint.’”
This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:
The one who wishes one’s own long-lasting happiness
should develop deeds of merit:
giving, a balanced life,
a mind of loving-kindness.
Developing the three things
that bring about great happiness,
the wise person is reborn
in an untroubled happy world.
This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.
