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“These seven things lead to the decline of a lay follower. What seven? They miss out on seeing the mendicants. They neglect listening to the true teaching. They don’t train in higher ethical conduct. They’re very suspicious about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle. They listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind. They seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations. And they serve them first. These seven things lead to the decline of a lay follower. These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a lay follower. What seven? They don’t miss out on seeing the mendicants. They don’t neglect listening to the true teaching. They train in higher ethical conduct. They’re very confident about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle. They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind. They don’t seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations. And they serve the Buddhist community first. These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a lay follower.” That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: “A lay follower misses out on seeingthose who are evolvedand listening to the teachings of the Noble One.They don’t train in higher ethical conduct, and their suspicion about mendicantsjust grows and grows.They want to listen to the true teachingwith a fault-finding mind. They seek outside the Buddhist communityfor someone else worthy of religious donations,and that lay followerserves them first. These seven principles leading to declinehave been well taught.A lay follower who practices themfalls away from the true teaching. A lay follower doesn’t miss out on seeingthose who are evolvedand listening to the teachings of the Noble One.They train in higher ethical conduct, and their confidence in mendicantsjust grows and grows.They want to listen to the true teachingwithout a fault-finding mind. They don’t seek outside the Buddhist communityfor someone else worthy of religious donations,and that lay followerserves the Buddhist community first. These seven principles that prevent declinehave been well taught.A lay follower who practices themdoesn’t fall away from the true teaching.” Dutiyaparihānisutta AN 7.29

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans near the Koliyan town named Sajjanela. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and went to the residence of the Koliyan daughter Suppavāsā, where he sat down in the prepared seat. Then the Koliyan daughter Suppavāsā, with her own hand, served and satisfied the Blessed One with various kinds of delicious food. When the Blessed One had finished eating and had put away his bowl, the Koliyan daughter Suppavāsā sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to her: “Suppavāsā, a female noble disciple who gives food gives the recipients four things. What four? She gives life, beauty, happiness, and strength. Having given life, she partakes of life, whether celestial or human. Having given beauty, she partakes of beauty, whether celestial or human. Having given happiness, she partakes of happiness, whether celestial or human. Having given strength, she partakes of strength, whether celestial or human. Suppavāsā, a female noble disciple who gives food gives the recipients these four things.” When one gives well-prepared food, pure, delicious, and flavorful, to the upright ones who are exalted and of excellent conduct, that offering, which links merit with merit, is praised as very fruitful by the world-knowers. Those recollecting such generosity dwell in the world inspired by joy. Having removed the stain of miserliness and its root, blameless, they go to the heavenly abode. SuppavāsāsuttaAN 4.57

“Mendicants, there are these four ways of answering questions. What four? There is a question that should be answered definitively. There is a question that should be answered analytically. There is a question that should be answered with a counter-question. There is a question that should be set aside. These are the four ways of answering questions. One is stated definitively,another analytically,a third with a counter-question,while a fourth is set aside. A mendicant who knows each of these,in line with good principles,is said to be skilledin the four kinds of questions. They’re intimidating, hard to defeat,deep, and hard to crush.They’re expert in bothwhat the meaning is and what it isn’t. Rejecting what is not the meaning,an astute person grasps the meaning.A wise one, comprehending the meaning,is said to be astute.”

“Monks, these two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is first to do a kindness, and the one who is grateful for a kindness done and feels obligated to repay it. These two people are hard to find in the world.” He always does his duty toward his parents; he promotes the welfare of his wife and children. He takes care of the people in his home and those who live in dependence on him. The wise person, charitable and virtuous, acts for the good of both kinds of relatives, those who have passed away and those still living in this world. He benefits ascetics and brahmins, and also, the deities; he is one who gives rise to joy while living a righteous life at home. Having done what is good, he is worthy of veneration and praise. They praise him here in this world and after death he rejoices in heaven. Āsāduppajaha Vagga AN 2.118–129 AN i 87 Licchavikumāraka Sutta AN 5.58

“Bhikkhus, the appearance of three people is rare in the world. What three? A Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. A person who teaches the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. A person who is grateful and thankful. The appearance of these three people is rare in the world.” Dullabha Sutta AN 3.114

At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, there are these Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. It is because he has fully awakened to these Four Noble Truths as they really are that the Tathagata is called the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. “Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’” Sammāsambuddhasutta SN 56.23 https://suttacentral.net/sn56.23