Reading guide
Wealth, named without embellishment
Confirmed by direct reading, unlike SN 55.41-43's own elaborate similes and verses, this discourse states its own claim plainly and closes immediately — the four factors simply are, by this discourse's own declaration, a form of riches.
Key terms
aḍḍho mahaddhano mahābhogo — “rich, affluent, and wealthy” — this discourse's own new name for a noble disciple who possesses the four factors
aveccappasāda — “experiential confidence” — the shared term for confidence in the Buddha, teaching, and Saṅgha, unchanged throughout this saṃyutta
ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato — “has the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones” — the fourth factor, restated identically here
mahaddhana — “affluent,” literally “of great wealth” — part of this discourse's own threefold economic description
mahābhoga — “wealthy,” literally “of great enjoyment/resources” — the third term in this discourse's own economic triplet
The text
Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, a noble disciple who has four things is said to be rich, affluent, and wealthy. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. A noble disciple who has these four things is said to be rich, affluent, and wealthy.”
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What does this discourse call a noble disciple who has the four factors?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — this discourse's own distinctive economic framing.
Question 2 of 3
How does this discourse's own form compare to its immediately preceding companions, SN 55.41-43?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison — a genuinely simpler, unadorned statement.
Question 3 of 3
How many distinct names has this project now confirmed for the four factors within this single saṃyutta, counting this discourse?
Correct: A. This project's own running count of the formula's own recurring reframings across this saṃyutta.