The Discourse on the Treasures

Whatever beings have come together here,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
may the minds of all those beings be happy,
and may they listen carefully to what is said.
Therefore, all of you beings, be attentive,
be friendly towards this generation of men,
they who bring offerings by day and by night,
as they are heedful please protect them.
Whatever riches there are—here or hereafter
or in the heavens—that excellent treasure
is not equal unto the Realised One—
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Craving’s end, dispassion, deathlessness, excellence—
that which the concentrated Sakyan sage attained—
there is nothing that is equal to the Dhamma—
this excellent treasure is in the Dhamma:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
That which the great Buddha praised as being pure—
the concentration said to have immediate result—
no equal to that concentration is found—
this excellent treasure is in the Dhamma:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Those eight individuals praised by the good—
there are these four pairs of persons—
those disciples of the Fortunate One are worthy of gifts,
those things that have been given to them have great fruit—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Those who have firm minds that are devoted to
Gotama’s teaching, being free from sense desire—
having attained and entered the deathless—
are enjoying the stillness, obtained for free—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Just as a locking post stuck fast in the earth
does not waver on account of the four winds,
just like this, I say, is the person who is true,
the one who sees the noble truths completely—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Those who clearly distinguish the noble truths,
which have been well preached by the one with great wisdom,
no matter how great they become in heedlessness
still they do not take up an eighth existence—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Together with his attainment of seeing Emancipation
there are three things that are given up:
embodiment view, uncertainty, and
whatever grasping at virtue and practices there is.
He is free from rebirth in the four lower worlds,
and he is incapable of the six great crimes—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Whatever bad actions he performs
by way of body, speech, or mind,
he is incapable of covering it up:
this incapacity is said of one who has seen the state of peace—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
Just like a tall woodland tree crowned with flowers
in the summer months, in the early summer,
just like this he preached the Dhamma which is best,
which goes to Emancipation, the highest benefit—
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
The best one, knowing the best, gave the best, brought the best,
he preached the best Dhamma, which is unsurpassed—
this excellent treasure is in the Buddha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!
The old is destroyed, and nothing new is produced,
their minds are unexcited by future rebirth,
they have destroyed the seeds, and have no desire for growth,
the wise are still, just as this lamp is still—
this excellent treasure is in the Sangha:
by virtue of this truth may there be safety!

Spoken by Sakka, lord of the gods:

Whatever beings have come together here,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
we all revere the realised Buddha who is
honoured by gods and men—may there be safety!
Whatever beings have come together here,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
we all revere the realised Dhamma which is
honoured by gods and men—may there be safety!
Whatever beings have come together here,
whether of the earth or in the firmament,
we all revere the realised Sangha which is
honoured by gods and men—may there be safety!

The Discourse on the Treasures is Finished