Catukkanipāta 58

Numbered Discourses 4.58

6. Overflowing Merit

Sudatta

1 Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

2 “Householder, when a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients four things. What four? Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength. Giving long life, they have long life as a god or human. … Giving beauty … happiness … strength … When a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients these four things.

3 Carefully giving food at the right time,

to those who are disciplined,

eating only what others give,

you provide them with four things:

long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

4 A person who gives long life, beauty,

happiness, and strength,

has long life and fame

wherever they’re reborn.”