Sobhana sutta: Grace

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities graces the monastery. What five?

They’re ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

They’re a good speaker who enunciates well, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.

They’re able to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire those who approach them with a Dhamma talk.

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities graces the monastery.”