“Bhikkhus, possessing three factors, a shopkeeper soon attains vast and abundant wealth. What three? Here, a shopkeeper has keen eyes, is responsible, and has benefactors.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, does a shopkeeper have keen eyes? Here, a shopkeeper knows of an item: ‘If this item is bought at such a price and sold at such a price, it will require this much capital and bring this much profit.’ It is in this way that a shopkeeper has keen eyes.
(2) “And how is a shopkeeper responsible? Here, a shopkeeper is skilled in buying and selling goods. It is in this way that a shopkeeper is responsible.
(3) “And how does a shopkeeper have benefactors? an.i.117 Here, rich, wealthy, affluent householders and householders’ sons know him thus: ‘This good shopkeeper has keen eyes and is responsible; he is able to support his wife and children and pay us back from time to time.’ So they deposit wealth with him, saying: ‘Having earned wealth with this, friend shopkeeper, support your wife and children and pay us back from time to time.’ It is in this way that a shopkeeper has benefactors.
“Possessing these three factors, a shopkeeper soon attains vast and abundant wealth.
“So too, bhikkhus, possessing three qualities, a bhikkhu soon attains vast and abundant wholesome qualities. What three? Here, a bhikkhu has keen eyes, is responsible, and has benefactors.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu have keen eyes? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu has keen eyes.
(2) “And how is a bhikkhu responsible? Here, a bhikkhu has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and acquiring wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. It is in this way that a bhikkhu is responsible.
(3) “And how does a bhikkhu have benefactors? Here, from time to time a bhikkhu approaches those bhikkhus who are learned, heirs to the heritage, experts on the Dhamma, experts on the discipline, experts on the outlines, and inquires: ‘How is this, Bhante? What is the meaning of this?’ Those venerable ones then disclose to him what has not been disclosed, clear up what is obscure, and dispel his perplexity about numerous perplexing points. It is in this way that a bhikkhu has benefactors. an.i.118
“Possessing these three qualities, a bhikkhu soon attains vast and abundant wholesome qualities.”