Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
https://suttacentral.net/en/an4.62
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One…. The Blessed One said to him:
“Householder, there are these four kinds of happiness that may be achieved by a layperson who enjoys sensual pleasures, depending on time and occasion. What four? The happiness of ownership, the happiness of enjoyment, the happiness of freedom from debt, and the happiness of blamelessness. [748]
(1) “And what, householder, is the happiness of ownership? Here, a clansman has acquired wealth by energetic striving, amassed by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained. When he thinks, ‘I have acquired wealth by energetic striving … righteously gained,’ he experiences happiness and joy. This is called the happiness of ownership.
(2) “And what is the happiness of enjoyment? Here, with wealth acquired by energetic striving, amassed by the strength of his arms, earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained, a clansman enjoys his wealth and does meritorious deeds. When he thinks, ‘With wealth acquired by energetic striving … righteously gained, I enjoy my wealth and do meritorious deeds,’ he experiences happiness and joy. This is called the happiness of enjoyment.
(3) “And what is the happiness of freedom from debt? Here, a clansman has no debts to anyone, whether large or small. When he thinks, ‘I have no debts to anyone, whether large or small,’ he experiences happiness and joy. This is called the happiness of freedom from debt.
(4) “And what is the happiness of blamelessness? Here, householder, a noble disciple is endowed with blameless bodily, verbal, and mental action. When he thinks, ‘I am endowed with blameless bodily, verbal, and mental action,’ he experiences happiness and joy. This is called the happiness of blamelessness.
“These are the four kinds of happiness that a layperson who enjoys sensual pleasures may achieve, depending on time and occasion.”
- Having known the happiness of freedom from debt,
one should recall [749] the happiness of ownership.
Enjoying the happiness of enjoyment,
a mortal then sees things clearly with wisdom.
While seeing things clearly, the wise one
knows both kinds [750] of happiness.
The other is not worth a sixteenth part
of the bliss of blamelessness. [751]
[748] In Pāli: atthisukha, bhogasukha, anaṇasukha, anavajjasukha.
Mp: “The first is the happiness arisen at the thought, ‘There is (atthi, i.e., wealth)’; the second is the happiness arisen in one who enjoys wealth; the third is the happiness arisen at the thought, ‘I am without debt’; the fourth is the happiness arisen at the thought, ‘I am faultless, blameless.’”
[749] Reading with Ce and Ee sare, as against Be paraṃ.
[750] Reading with Ce and Ee bhāge, as against Be bhoge.
[751] Mp: “He divides the types of happiness into two portions. The first three types make up one portion, the happiness of blamelessness is a portion in its own right. Then he sees with wisdom and knows that the former three types of happiness combined are not worth a sixteenth part of the happiness of blamelessness."