9. The Advantage of Believing

The advantages that the person who is endowed with Saddhā can get are described by the Buddha in Saddhā Sutta of Aṅguttara Nikāya as follows:—

“Monks, there are these five advantages for a believing clansman. What five? Monks, the good and wise in the world out of compassion first feel towards the believer, never thus to the unbeliever; when visiting, they first approach to the believer, never thus to the unbeliever; when receiving, they first accept the alms of the believer, never thus the unbeliever; when teaching Dhamma, they first teach the believer, never thus the unbeliever. The believer, on the breaking up of the body after death, arises in the happy heaven-world.”^[1]

In the discourse mentioned above, the six advantages of the believer can be seen as:-

(1) The believer is first felt by the good and wise out of compassion.
(2) The believer is first approached by the good and wise,
(3) The good and wise first accept the alms of the believer,
(4) The believer is first taught by the good and wise,
(5) The believer arises in the happy existence of deities after his death.

The way of feeling towards the believer by the good and wise can be seen in the sub-commentary as:-

“Anukampantīti–‘sabbe sattā sukhī hontu averā avyāpajjā’ ti evaṃ hitapharaṇena anuggananti”^[2]

Meant that the good and wise wish the believer to be free from enemy and suffering sharing loving-kindness and compassion, ‘May he be well, happy and free from enemy and suffering.’

According to the statement of the sub-commentary, it is evident that the good and wise persons love, pay respect and feel for the believer. Besides, they give the priority to the believer in any situation. That is because the believer is fulfilled with volition and generosity.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

An II, P. 36. Pali Text Society III, P. 42. Pali Text Society, Tr. P. 34-5.

[2]:

AnT. III, P. 17.