In the same way, a mendicant with eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What eight?

It’s when a mendicant is 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.

Whatever food they’re given, coarse or fine, they eat carefully, without bother.

They’re disgusted with bad conduct by way of body, speech, or mind, and by attainment of the many kinds of unskillful things.

They’re gentle and pleasant to live with, and they don’t upset the other mendicants.

They openly show their tricks, bluffs, ruses, and feints to their sensible spiritual companions, so they can try to subdue them.

They do their training, determining: ‘Whether or not the other mendicants do their training, I’ll do mine.’

They always walk in a straight path. And here the straight path is right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

They’re energetic: ‘Gladly, let my skin, sinews, and bones remain! Let the blood and flesh waste away in my body! I will not stop trying until I have achieved what is possible by human strength, energy, and vigor.’

A mendicant with these eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Numbered Discourses 8.14 2. The Great Chapter