Greatest blessings - Part 1

The story begins during a time when everyone, devas, brahmas and humans alike, were obsessed with figuring out what counts as a maṅgala — blessing. They wanted to know the signs, conditions, or qualities that genuinely bring welfare, happiness and good fortune. Not the superstitious kind, but the real blessing.

For twelve long years, perhaps even longer, the beings of both the deva world and the human world turned the question of maṅgala over and over in their minds. They wanted happiness, they wanted safety, and they believed these depended on discovering what was truly “auspicious” or “lucky.” Their search for the blessings were urgent because each hoped to secure personal welfare and the feeling of being protected in an unpredictable world.

Yet their search kept circling around external things. Some held that a maṅgala must be something seen—bright colours, fine ornaments, the glimmer of gold, a rainbow after the rain. Others thought it must lie in what is heard—the pleasing tones of celestial instruments or charming voices. Still others insisted it must be something sensed—fragrant smells, delicious tastes, pleasant touches: the scent of lotus flowers at dawn, the sweetness of a well-cooked meal, the coolness of earth or rain. These were folk attempts to grasp what a blessing might be, rooted in familiar experiences of pleasure and comfort. But no matter how long they pondered, they could not agree on the real blessing. The more they tied the idea to external impressions, the more elusive it became.

At last they recognised that the question lay beyond their reach. At this point the devas realise they’re stuck. If the meaning of maṅgala is so important because it determines the causes of safety, prosperity, and wholesome growth, then they need someone who actually understands reality. So they gather around Sakka, the king of the devas, thinking he might be the ultimate authority on such matters. Sakka asks where this debate started and traces the question down through the heavens until it finally lands in the human world. When he hears that no one has asked the Buddha, he chastises them: why go chasing sparks in the dark when a blazing lamp is available? If anyone can point out what a true maṅgala is—what leads to real welfare in this life and the next—it is the Buddha. A deva is then sent as an emissary. He goes straight to Jetavana Monastery to pose the question that both gods and humans have failed to answer: "What is the maṅgala—the highest, most reliable blessing?”

The commentary then parses the verse with remarkable directness: a maṅgala is not an omen or auspicious sign but the cause of prosperity, the condition for safety, the foundation of well-being, and the factor that supports growth in wholesome qualities.

In the Buddha's eyes, two fundamental truths emerge when he examined the nature of maṅgala (blessing). One can find happiness and pleasure in human and deva realms but this happiness remains inherently unsatisfying. Simultaneously, beings in these realms possess an intense longing to perfect their experience of joy because pleasure rests on unstable foundations: the changing nature of desire, the varying capacity of the senses, and the availability of pleasant objects. Since these conditions constantly shift, any happiness arising from them are equally fleeting, and this reflects the timeless truth that all sensual pleasures are temporary and impermanent. When beings fail to grasp this fundamental nature, they pursue these pleasures with increasing craving, inevitably encountering disappointment. The Buddha clearly saw that the quest for sensual pleasure cannot deliver complete or lasting happiness. Thus, he explained what 'blessing' truly means — the genuine causes and conditions that genuinely improve one's life. Starting with simple, attainable foundations, he developed a progressive path of blessings that ascends gradually toward supreme well-being, reaching its pinnacle in the unshakeable liberation of Nibbāna.

This set the stage for the Maṅgala-sutta by clearing out the superstition and directing attention toward what truly makes a life safe, strong, and good. The Buddha then explained in verses what the true blessings are, and there are 38 of them. Starting with…

(1,2) Not associating with the fools, and associating with the wise

The commentary explains why the Buddha began with the instruction, “not associating with fools.” It is because devas and humans, through associating with fools, had adopted mistaken views about blessings: views that are unwholesome and harmful both in this life and the next. For example, some people believe that sacrificing animals can yield great results in the next life and secure a place in heaven. Acting on such beliefs, they transgress precepts and cultivate unwholesome kamma, which can lead them to woeful realms rather than to heavenly ones. Thus, “fools” refers to those who engage in unwholesome courses of action, such as killing and other misconduct.

The Buddha also explained that a fool can be known in three ways:

• By behaviour rooted in unwholesome states: when someone thinks, speaks, and acts under the influence of lobha, dosa and moha habitually. A fool is someone who keeps repeating them because they do not see their roots.

• By the consequences they do not foresee: a fool repeatedly brings suffering upon themselves or others and then wonders why the same flames keep licking at their feet. They don’t see connections, and fail to understand cause and effect in their own life, so the same unwholesome actions occur repeatedly.

• By the company they seek and delight in: a fool gravitates to people who strengthen their unwholesome tendencies. They enjoy the company of the harmful, the heedless, the unprincipled, and love to associate with those who normalise poor choices.

This category also includes false teachers who propagate wrong views—such as eternalism, nihilism, determinism, and other doctrinal errors—as well as foolish companions like Devadatta, who opposed the Buddha and sought harm against him. The Devadatta-type companion still appears today even among us: the friend who delights in steering another toward spite, pettiness, or self-destruction; the colleague who encourages cutting corners and cheating because “everyone does it”; the online crowd that cheers reckless behavior as entertainment; the mentor who subtly sabotages growth because someone else’s progress threatens their ego. These modern figures serve the same role as their ancient counterparts: they pull people away from goodness.

The Buddha illustrated the danger of such association: “Just as a fire set loose can burn huts coated with clay and dung, even so all fears arise from the fool, not from the wise…” A single reckless person can spread trouble the way an unchecked fire can burn through even well-built homes. Fear and turmoil arise around the foolish, not the wise. He also compared such a person to spoiled fish: anyone who keeps close to them ends up carrying their stench. Just as a leaf wrapped around rotten fish ends up smelling the same, people inevitably take on the qualities of those they associate with.

Thus the Buddha, condemning all association with fools, declared: “Avoiding fools is a blessing.”

On the flip side, the wise are those who display qualities opposite to the fools. “Wise persons” (paṇḍita) are those endowed with the ten courses of wholesome action. A wise person chooses wholesome actions, understands how their choices shape outcomes, and keeps company that strengthens their noble and wholesome qualities. The sutta says: “From the wise, there is no fear, no danger, no calamity.”

For this reason, the Buddha praised the value of such companionship, declaring, “Association with the wise is a blessing.”

(3) Honouring those worthy of honour

After this, the Buddha highlighted another precious blessing: “Honouring those worthy of honour,” he declared, “is a supreme blessing.”

Who are these worthy ones? They are the Fully Awakened Buddhas, the Silent Buddhas (Paccekabuddhas), and the noble disciples—stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arahants—who have realised the truth and are free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Their minds are purified as they live and also lead others' lives with virtue and wisdom. As a result, even the smallest gesture of respect toward such people becomes a seed that bears wholesome fruit across lifetimes.

Yet even more valuable than honouring these noble individuals is honouring the Dhamma within one’s own heart. To live the Dhamma day by day is the deepest offering and honour. When a monk keeps the Vinaya with integrity, when a nun walks her path with mindfulness and compassion, when a lay follower takes refuge in the Triple Gem and sincerely upholds the five precepts—these are the acts that truly delight the Buddha. In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, he explained that any monk, nun, or lay follower who practices in accordance with the teaching “honours and esteems the Realised One with the highest honour.”

The same respect shown to Paccekabuddhas and to the noble Saṅgha ripens in a similar way. It nurtures well-being in this life, supports joyful rebirths, and steadies one’s movement toward Nibbāna. The Buddha also reminded the Saṅgha that as long as a bhikkhu (and even laypeople) honours and respect their senior companions, those long established in the training, they can expect growth rather than decline.

This principle extends gracefully into the household as well. A younger sibling who honours an elder, a child who treats parents with gratitude, an in-law who approaches their partner’s parents with kindness and care: these simple gestures of respect foster long life, beauty, ease of mind, and harmony where discord might otherwise take root. These too are genuine blessings across the span of human life.

(4) Living in a suitable place

The ancient commentary explains that a “suitable place” is any land where the four assemblies—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—live in harmony, and where generosity, virtue, and meditation are well established. To dwell in such a place is a blessing because it naturally supports the arising of fresh, wholesome actions. A person who lives where goodness is honoured finds it easier to cultivate goodness themselves. Even today we can recognise places shaped by this spirit. The forest hermitages of Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, or any quiet village, meditation center, monastery or neighbourhood where the Dhamma is practised with sincerity — all of these become “suitable lands” whenever sīla, samādhi, and paññā are valued and lived.

To live in a place where conditions so strongly support the growth of the Dhamma is therefore counted as a supreme blessing, a foundation from which many other blessings gradually unfold.

(5) Having done merit in the past

Another great blessing is the store of merit we have already planted in past lives—especially merit accumulated in the presence of Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, Arahants, or during the flourishing of the Dispensation.

The wholesome roots a person has cultivated across many past existences can be so powerful that, when they encounter the Dhamma in this life, insight arises swiftly and powerfully. Such merit can propel one all the way to Nibbāna. It is like a hidden treasure resting just beneath the surface, waiting for the right conditions to open. For this reason the Buddha declared past merit a true blessing.

This factor becomes especially important for meditators. People often notice that some practitioners progress with remarkable speed, others move more slowly, and some seem unable to gain momentum at all. One of the deepest reasons for these differences lies in the merit they have cultivated over countless lifetimes. Here “merit” is not limited to generosity (dāna) and virtue (sīla) but includes meditation, past cultivation of concentration, insight, and the broader perfections (pāramīs). Progress in meditation is never just the result of present effort; it is the ripening of both present conditions and the long inheritance of past cultivation. When the past merit is weak, progress can feel slow or uncertain. However, one should understand that every sincere effort they make now will definitely become the “merits” cultivated for future success as they form the conditions for later progress and success.

Equally important is the intention that accompanied those past wholesome actions. When dāna, sīla, meditation, or other perfections were performed with the aspiration to realise Nibbāna, to attain jhāna, or to grow in insight, these wholesome kamma can create perfect conditions for one to meet the right teachers, teachings, environment and communities that can propel one to Nibbāna. Sometimes you may see people who strive earnestly to develop concentration or insight, yet they struggle to meet qualified teachers, fail to find clear teachings, or end up practising methods that lead them further from the goal. This reflects a lack of past merit—both the absence of strong past practice and the absence of merit done with the aspiration for concentration, insight, and enlightenment. When a person has a rich store of past merit accumulated with the intention to realise Nibbāna or know the Dhamma, they are born into a devout Buddhist family, or surrounded by conditions that encourage learning and practice. The kamma also guides them towards conditions and places where the Dhamma flourishes: Dhamma halls, meditation centres, and wise friends with wholesome habits.

On the other hand, someone whose past inclinations leaned heavily towards sensual pleasures will not naturally gravitate towards the Dhamma at all. And someone who has committed much unwholesome kamma, even if they are born into a pious Buddhist household through a single bright deed, will often find themselves drawn towards companions who gamble, steal, drink, or indulge in the senses in unwise ways.

This is why the Buddha listed past merit as a blessing. It reminds us that our path is not built solely on what we do today, but also on what we have cultivated across the long, winding course of saṃsāra. When present effort meets well-rooted past merit, the mind can accelerate toward understanding with striking ease. This support of past merit, which is unseen but deeply potent, can be a protective force that may carry a person all the way to Nibbāna. Hence the Buddha said: “Having done merit before is a blessing.”

(6) Proper directing of the mind

It is not easy to build good character, so even when a person fulfills all the preceding blessings, the inclination to cultivate virtue still needs steady effort. Every single one of us must work deliberately to avoid wrongdoing, cultivate wholesome states and to improve our weaknesses. As the Dhammapada reminds us: “Whoever was heedless before, but afterwards is not, he illumines this world like the full moon freed from clouds.” (Dhp 172)

Many continue to feel unsteady in virtue: they take the precepts in the morning and see them wobble by nightfall. Many feel their confidence flicker. Many still cling to their possessions, hesitant to give, uncertain about letting go. But the very moment someone forms a firm and honest resolve—“From this day onward, I will uphold my virtue with my life. From this day onward, I will strengthen my confidence in the Triple Gem. From this day onward, I will open my heart in generosity”—that resolve itself guides the mind in the right direction. This inner setting of one’s course, attasammāpaṇidhi, is one of the blessings the Buddha spoke of.

A wholesome inner decision brings its blessings immediately. A person who orients their life toward goodness finds release from fear, regret, and the unrest that results from committing unwholesome actions. Such a resolve also brings future benefit, for it becomes the seed of fortunate rebirths. More importantly, it becomes a direct supporting condition for the fruits of the Noble Path, sustaining the long journey that ends in the complete abandoning of fear, clinging, and suffering.

(7,8,9) Having great learning, being skilled and disciplined

After this, the Buddha explained that being learned, possessing skills and being well-disciplined are also maṅgalā—true blessings.

Learning allows one to absorb, remember, and reflect upon the Buddha’s teaching. It becomes a blessing because it guides a person towards abandoning what is unwholesome, cultivating what is wholesome, and eventually realising the highest truth. Although one does not need to master the entirety of the Dhamma to attain meditative insight, learning is invaluable in helping a practitioner distinguish sound doctrine from misleading views, examine whether a teacher’s words accord with the Dhamma, and apply the teachings wisely in daily life.

The Buddha also praised skill, both in lay crafts and in the specialised abilities required of monastics. When such skills are blameless, support one’s livelihood, and bring benefit to others, they become sources of welfare and genuine blessings.

A devout Buddhist, whether living the household life or gone forth, is encouraged to discipline themselves through wise attention and steady effort. The expectations for those who have gone forth are higher, yet even for laypeople the diligent observance of the five precepts is essential. Some may dismiss these precepts as restrictive or superstitious, as if the Buddha were merely forbidding this or that. In truth, the non-transgression of the five precepts is not about fear or superstition; it is a safeguard for one’s own welfare and the welfare of others, preventing the very problems that arise when these precepts are violated. The Buddha stated in the Upakkilesa Sutta that a recluse cannot truly shine if he engages in sexual activity, handles money, drinks intoxicants, or earns his livelihood in ways contrary to the Dhamma. Although these words refer directly to monastics, the principle carries weight for lay followers as well. Upholding virtue protects bodily and verbal conduct, allowing the mind to settle, purify and strengthen due to the power of non-remorse. On that foundation, both worldly welfare and the path to liberation can develop. It is for this reason that discipline is counted among the great blessings.

(10) Well-spoken speech

Well-spoken speech (subhāsitā vācā) means truthful, beneficial, and appropriate speech—or, at its highest, the Buddha’s speech on the Dhamma. In our daily lives, it’s also about being wise and mindful of what to say and when to say it.

The Buddha always distinguished his speech with great precision. He never spoke what was untrue or non-beneficial, even if it was pleasant to hear. He also refrained from true statements that brought no benefit. When a statement was true and beneficial but unpleasant to hear, he waited for the right moment to speak. When it was true, beneficial, and pleasant, he expressed it at the appropriate time. This careful discipline arose from his Great Compassion. Not from fear of displeasing others, but from a genuine wish for his words to help.

In the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta (MN 58), the Buddha outlined that a statement should have three qualities:

– it must be true,

– it must be beneficial,

– and it must be delivered at the right time.

So, In daily life, we often face similar choices: whether to speak or remain silent, whether to lean toward truth or comfort, whether to offer real help or simply seek approval. In those moments, recalling the Buddha’s guidance can serve as a clear compass. If we let our words rest on these three pillars—truth, genuine benefit, and the right time—we can avoid the common pitfalls of impulsive or careless speech.

This also applies in situations where one is falsely accused. One need not always remain silent out of passivity; it is important to correct what is false. But this should be done by grounding your words in the three pillars mentioned above, and in the same tone you might use to teach a child how to write: steady, patient, and unruffled. When falsely accused, one may—and sometimes should—speak up, but with a calm mind, measured speech, and without any desire to retaliate or anger. This kind of response is rare, because it requires two forms of courage at once: the courage to speak and to remain inwardly steady while doing so. Yet it is not impossible to practice; as your wisdom grows, so too does this potential.

(11) Looking after one’s mother and father

This means caring for them directly—helping with their physical needs, offering support in daily tasks and necessities, and not simply sending them away to a care facility when they grow old and sick. It is a reminder by the Buddha to remain personally involved, with steady attention and responsibility.

The commentary says that even if one were to care for one’s parents on one’s own shoulders for a hundred years, one would not be able to repay the debt owed to them. Because (good) parents are the bearers, nourishers, and sustainers of this world, the Buddha said:

“Parents are called brahmā,

Parents are called teachers of old,

Worthy of offerings from their children,

Compassionate towards their offspring…

By serving them with food and drink,

Clothing and bedding,

Bathing and washing their feet,

The wise are praised here

And rejoice in heaven after death.”

The difficulty of repaying this debt is shown in the teaching that two people are especially hard to repay: one’s mother and father. If one’s parents lack faith, guiding them towards faith is a way of repaying them. If they are immoral, establishing them in sīla is a way of repaying them. If they are miserly, encouraging them in dāna is a way of repaying them. If they lack understanding of the Dhamma, helping them develop right view is a way of repaying them. These forms of support are considered the highest repayment because they protect one's parents from the dangers of unwholesome kamma and lower realms. Ultimately, repayment through the Dhamma becomes the basis for many benefits in this life and beyond. When such qualities cannot be cultivated while they are alive, one should still honour them after their passing by performing meritorious deeds in their name and sharing merits for them regularly.

The Buddha said that one who, through Dhamma guidance, training of sīla, encouraging renunciation or supporting going forth, establishes one's parents in faith, virtue, or the holy life, is called the foremost among those who care for parents. Their service is a true blessing, for it becomes the direct repayment of the immeasurable help given by their mother and father.

(12) Caring for one's wife (or husband) and children

The Buddha encouraged people to fulfil their duties within the family (but of course, he did not encourage indulgence in such attachments). What he praised was the practice of caring for one’s family with mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā. These qualities create protection, harmony, and virtue, but do not entangle one in the bonds of passion and attachment. The responsibilities are to be fulfilled with a mind steady and balanced, not clinging or aversion.

In the household, the proper conduct is modelled in the Buddha’s instructions: the husband supports his wife by honouring her, by not disparaging her, by being faithful, by giving her authority, and by providing adornments. Supported in these ways, the wife responds with her own responsibilities: she manages the household skilfully, cares for attendants, is faithful, protects the accumulated wealth, and is diligent in all tasks.

Another explanation is caring through the four bases of social harmony: generosity, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and impartiality. Better is when done with a mind grounded in Dhamma. Such care is a blessing because it supports present and future welfare, and even the respect of the devas. As Sakka, lord of the devas, said:

“Mātali, I honour those householders

Who do merit, who keep virtue,

Who support their wives in righteousness.”

Caring for one’s partner and children becomes a genuine blessing when it is not driven by clinging or indulgence, but by a steady commitment to one’s responsibilities and a mind grounded in wholesome and skilful qualities. This kind of care supports a healthy, stable household without feeding craving, unhelpful habits or unwholesome states.

(13) Unconfused and peaceful in work

This refers to work that is done at the right time, in the right way, with diligence, skill, steady effort, and freedom from carelessness. The Buddha taught that when one’s livelihood is carried out without disorder, delay, or laziness, it becomes a cause for prosperity and thus, a blessing. It also points towards Right Livelihood: choosing occupations that do not lead to breaking the five precepts.

(14) Giving

The practice of giving is widely recognised as one of the most fundamental human virtues, a clear expression of our ability to rise beyond narrow self-interest. At its heart lies non-greed—the willingness to loosen our hold on what we call “mine” and allow it to support the welfare of others. Dāna is not merely the act of giving something away; it is the expression of an inner readiness to let go. Each act of generosity strengthens this disposition, and in time it becomes the foundation for deeper forms of selflessness when needed.

Giving may not be listed as a direct factor of the Noble Eightfold Path but the Buddha repeatedly placed generosity at the very beginning of the training he offered to disciples. That is why it is placed the first of the ten bases of merit (puññakiriyavatthu), the first of the four ways of bringing benefit to others (saṅgahavatthu), and the first of the ten pāramī,

Generosity is also one of the defining traits of the sappurisa, a wise person, alongside faith, virtue, learning, and wisdom.

There are two kinds of giving: material giving (āmisadāna) and the giving of Dhamma (dhammadāna). Material giving is familiar to most people—it includes offering food, clothing, medicine, shelter, and other supports. The giving of Dhamma, however, means sharing the Buddha’s teaching, the path that leads beyond suffering, out of compassion for the welfare of others. Among these two forms, the giving of Dhamma is considered supreme. As the texts say:

“The gift of Dhamma surpasses all gifts;

The taste of Dhamma surpasses all tastes;

Delight in Dhamma surpasses all delights;

And the ending of craving conquers all suffering.”

(Dhammapada 354)

Material giving is a great blessing as it brings benefit to the giver through wholesome kamma in this life and the next, and benefit to the receiver by meeting their immediate needs. Giving the Dhamma, however, is a far greater blessing because it lays the groundwork for understanding, wisdom, liberation and many noble qualities. As the Buddha said, “Whenever a monk teaches the Dhamma to others as he has learned and memorised it, he experiences both the meaning and the Dhamma for himself”.

(15) Living by the Dhamma

Living by the Dhamma means shaping one’s conduct according to the ten wholesome courses of action. These ten are divided into three groups:

• Wholesome bodily actions:

– abstaining from taking life,

– abstaining from taking what is not given,

– abstaining from sexual misconduct.

• Wholesome verbal actions:

– speaking truthfully,

– speaking harmoniously (not creating divisions),

– speaking gently,

– speaking meaningfully and at the right time.

• Wholesome mental actions:

– cultivating non-greed,

– cultivating non-hatred,

– cultivating right view.

These ten courses of action define what it means to “live by the Dhamma.” Such wholesome conduct is not only a foundation for worldly harmony but also conditions for peace and fortune in this life and fortunate rebirth. More importantly, these qualities form the ground on which deeper practice rests. A life shaped by harmlessness, honesty, kindness, and clarity makes the mind peaceful, soft, light, malleable, and fit for understanding the Teachings. With fewer regrets, conflicts and agitations, the mind settles more easily. This settling becomes the doorway to strong concentration. From this steadiness also arises the clarity needed for insight (vipassanā). When the mind is no longer clouded by hindrances such as remorse, ill will, restlessness, etc., it can observe anicca, dukkha, and anatta directly, proficiently and clearly. In this way, living by the Dhamma—living according to the ten wholesome courses of action—is itself a blessing.

(16) Looking after one's relatives

Relatives (ñātaka) traditionally include family connected through one’s mother or father, extending back several generations. In more practical terms, this simply means the people in our family circle who may turn to us when they face difficulty whether through financial strain, illness, or personal hardship by offering support within our means, whether through food, shelter, money, care, or emotional presence. Nevertheless, discretion is needed. When certain family members or relatives are lazy, dishonest, repeatedly avoid their responsibilities, or refuse to repay debts, offering unlimited material help may only reinforce unwholesome habits. In such cases, the most compassionate response is to encourage them to live in line with the Dhamma, gently steering them towards honesty, effort, and responsibility, so they are protected from long-term dukkha.

Even better, one can help all the family members and relatives (that one can approach) understand the basic principles of the Dhamma, even if they can only take in a little at a time. Introducing them to generosity, virtue, right effort, and right view plants seeds of pāramī that may ripen much later, perhaps even forming the foundation for their own realisation of the Dhamma. This kind of support is not only practical but also the most truly beneficial way of caring for one’s family and relatives.

___________

In this first part of the post, the following blessings from the Buddha’s list of thirty-eight have been discussed:

– Not associating with fools,

and associating with the wise.

– Living in a suitable place,

having done good deeds in the past,

proper directing of the mind.

– Having great learning and skill,

being disciplined and well-trained,

and speaking words that are well-spoken.

– Attending to one’s mother and father,

caring for one’s wife and children,

and engaging in work that is orderly and unconfused.

– Giving, living by the Dhamma,

and supporting one’s relatives.

These are only the first steps in the broader landscape of blessings taught by the Buddha. Each one supports the next as they form a path that moves from basic human decency toward the highest freedom from saṃsāra. In the sections that follow, the remaining blessings will be explained further.