This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard,
“Monks, there are three supreme objects of confidence. What are the three?
Monks, whatever beings exist, whether footless, two-footed or four-footed, with form or without form, percipient or non-percipient, or neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient, of these the Tathāgata, arahant and fully enlightened, is considered supreme. Monks, those who have confidence in the Buddha have confidence in what is supreme; for those with confidence in the supreme, the result is the supreme.
Monks, whatever things exist, whether conditioned or unconditioned, passion-free Nibbāna is considered supreme. It is the ending of intoxication, extinguishing the thirst of the defilements, the uprooting of desire, the termination of the cycle of rebirths, the destruction of craving. It is dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Monks, those who have confidence in passion-free Nibbāna have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in what is supreme, the result is the supreme.
Monks, among whatever communities or groups exist, the community of the noble disciples of the Tathāgata is considered supreme. They are the four groups of noble disciples, when taken as pairs and the eight when taken as individuals. This community of disciples of the Buddha is worthy of gifts, of hospitality, of offerings, and of reverential salutation; they are the unsurpassable field of merit for the world. Monks, those who have confidence in the community of disciples of the Buddha have confidence in what is supreme, and for those with confidence in the supreme, the result will be the supreme.
Monks, these are the three supreme objects of confidence.
This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:
When one understands through the supreme Dhamma the qualities of the unsurpassed Buddha, he who is worthy of offerings, then his confidence, placed in the supreme Buddha, is supreme.
Confidence placed in the supreme Dhamma produces the happiness of dispassion and peace. One should also place confidence in the supreme Saṅgha, the unsurpassed field of merit.
One who gives gifts to noble ones who possess supreme qualities develops supreme merit. As a result, he experiences supreme long life, beauty, fame, reputation, happiness, and strength.
The wise one who gives gifts to the supreme ones and who fully focuses his mind on the supreme Dhamma rejoices in having attained a supreme state by becoming either a god or a human.
This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.
