Visuddhimagga XIV-140

464. Saddahanti etāya, sayaṃ vā saddahati, saddahanamattameva vā esāti saddhā. Sā saddahanalakkhaṇā, okappanalakkhaṇā vā, pasādanarasā udakappasādakamaṇi viya, pakkhandanarasā vā oghuttaraṇo viya. Akālussiyapaccupaṭṭhānā, adhimuttipaccupaṭṭhānā vā, saddheyyavatthupadaṭṭhānā, saddhammassavanādisotāpattiyaṅga(dī. ni. 3.311; saṃ. ni. 5.1001) padaṭṭhānā vā, hatthavittabījāni viya daṭṭhabbā.

（9）依此而（人）信故，或他自己信故或只是信故为「信」。它有信或信任的特相。有净信的作用，如能净水的摩尼宝珠；或有跳跃（从不信至信）的作用，如渡瀑流相似。以不玷污为现状，或以信解为现状。以起信之事为近因，或以听闻正法等的须陀洹支为近因。当知信如手、财产，及种子。

Ñ(XIV,140): (ix) By its means they have faith (saddahanti), or it itself is the having of faith, or it is just the act of having faith (saddahana), thus it is faith (saddhā). Its characteristic is having faith, or its characteristic is trusting. Its function is to clarify, like a water-clearing gem, or its function is to enter into, like the setting out across a flood (cf. Sn. 184). It is manifested as non-fogginess, or it is manifested as resolution. Its proximate cause is something to have faith in, or its proximate cause is the things beginning with hearing the Good Dhamma (saddhamma) that constitute the factors of stream-entry. It should be regarded as a hand [because it takes hold of profitable things], as wealth (Sn. 182), and as seed (Sn. 77).