The four Ignoble Searches

There is the case where a person,

1. Being subject himself to aging, seeks [happiness in] what is subject to aging.
2. Being subject himself to illness, he seeks [happiness in] what is subject to illness.
3. Being subject himself to death, he seeks [happiness in] what is subject to death.
4. Being subject himself to defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is subject to defilement.
“Now, these four are noble searches. Which four?”

There is the case where a person,

1. Being subject himself to aging, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to aging, seeks the unaging, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: Unbinding.

2. Being subject himself to illness, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to illness, he seeks the unailing, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: Unbinding.

3. Being subject himself to death, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to death, he seeks the undying, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: Unbinding.

4. Being subject himself to defilement, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to defilement, he seeks the undefiled, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: Unbinding.
 

Four conditions conduced to a householder’s weal and happiness in his future life.

1. The accomplishment of faith (saddha-sampada)

He believes in the Enlightenment of the Perfect One (Tathagata).

2. The accomplishment of virtue (sila-sampada)

Abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and from intoxicants that cause infatuation and heedlessness.

3. The accomplishment of charity (caga-sampada)

Dwells at home with heart free from the stain of avarice, devoted to charity, open-handed, delighting in generosity, attending to the needy, delighting in the distribution of alms.

4. The accomplishment of wisdom (panna-sampada)

He is wise: he is endowed with wisdom that understands the arising and cessation (of the five aggregates of existence); he is possessed of the noble penetrating insight that leads to the destruction of suffering.

Four conditions conduced to a householder’s weal and happiness in this very life.

5. The accomplishment of persistent effort (utthana-sampada),
6. The accomplishment of watchfulness (arakkha-sampada),
7. Good friendship (kalyanamittata) and
8. Balanced livelihood (sama-jivikata).
 

1. The Bliss of Ownership

Wealth acquired by energetic striving, stength of arm, won by sweat, lawful and lawfully gain.

2. The Bliss of Wealth

Enjoyment and do meritorious deeds from it.

3. The Bliss of Debtlessness
4. The Bliss of Blamelessness

Blameless in action, speech and thought.
 

1. Home and Home-leaving
2. Sensuality and Renunciation
3. Clinging and Letting Go
4. Bodily and Mental, …

The latter has the pre-eminence.