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# Iti 22 · uttaka 22
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/iti-22/
- Published: 2026-06-01T00:19:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:52:10.000Z
- Description: Itivuttaka · Iti 22. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Itivuttaka, Verse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

*This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:* “Monks, don’t be afraid of acts of merit. This is a synonym for what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming–i.e., acts of merit. I directly know that, having long performed meritorious deeds, I long experienced desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming results. Having developed a mind of good will for seven years, then for seven eons of contraction & expansion I didn’t return to this world. Whenever the eon was contracting, I entered the \[realm of\] Radiance. Whenever the eon was expanding, I reappeared in an empty Brahma-abode. There I was Brahma, the Great Brahma, the Unconquered Conqueror, Total Seer, Wielder of Power. Then for thirty-six times I was Sakka, ruler of the gods. For many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning emperor, a righteous king of Dhamma, conqueror of the four corners of the earth, maintaining stable control over the countryside, endowed with the seven treasures[1](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti22.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) –to say nothing of the times I was a local king. The thought occurred to me, ‘Of what action of mine is this the fruit, of what action the result, that I now have such great power & might?’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘This is the fruit of my three \[types of\] action, the result of three types of action, that I now have such great power & might: i.e., generosity, self-control, & restraint.’”

Train in acts of merit

that yield the foremost profit of bliss–

develop generosity,

a life in tune,

a mind of good will.

Developing these

three things

that bring about bliss,

the wise reappear

in a world of bliss

unalloyed.

Note

1\. The seven treasures are a divine wheel, an ideal jewel, an ideal elephant, an ideal horse, an ideal wife, an ideal treasurer, an ideal counselor.

See also [SN 3:4](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-3-4/), [SN 3:17](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-3-17/), [SN 3:20](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-3-20/), [SN 3:25](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-3-25/); [§60](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/iti-60/)

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti22.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*