Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.6

Numbered Discourses 4.6

1. Bhaṇḍagāmavagga

1. At Wares Village

Appassutasutta

A Little Learning

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

“Bhikkhus, these four people are found in the world. What four? A person may have:

Appassuto sutena anupapanno,

Little learning and not get the point of learning.

appassuto sutena upapanno,

Little learning but get the point of learning.

bahussuto sutena anupapanno,

Much learning but not get the point of learning.

bahussuto sutena upapanno.

Much learning and get the point of learning.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena anupapanno? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa appakaṁ sutaṁ hoti—suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ. So tassa appakassa sutassa na atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya¹ dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena anupapanno.

And how has a person learned little and not got the point of learning? It’s when a person has learned little of the statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications. And with the little they’ve learned, they understand neither the meaning nor the text, nor do they practice in line with the teaching. That’s how a person has learned little and not got the point of learning.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena upapanno? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa appakaṁ sutaṁ hoti—suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ. So tassa appakassa sutassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena upapanno.

And how has a person learned little but has got the point of learning? It’s when a person has learned little of the statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications. But with the little they’ve learned, they understand the meaning and the text, and they practice in line with the teaching. That’s how a person has learned little but has got the point of learning.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena anupapanno? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa bahukaṁ sutaṁ hoti—suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ. So tassa bahukassa sutassa na atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya² dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena anupapanno.

And how has a person learned much but hasn't got the point of learning? It’s when a person has learned much of the statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications. But even though they’ve learned much, they understand neither the meaning nor the text, nor do they practice in line with the teaching. That’s how a person has learned much but hasn't got the point of learning.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena upapanno? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa bahukaṁ sutaṁ hoti—suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ. So tassa bahukassa sutassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena upapanno.

And how has a person learned much and has got the point of learning? It’s when a person has learned much of the statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications. And with the large amount they’ve learned, they understand the meaning and the text, and they practice in line with the teaching. That’s how a person has learned much and has got the point of learning.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

These are the four people found in the world.

Appassutopi ce hoti, sīlesu asamāhito; Ubhayena naṁ garahanti, sīlato ca sutena ca.

If you don’t learn much, and aren’t steady in ethics, they’ll criticize you on both counts, for your ethics and your learning.

Appassutopi ce hoti, sīlesu susamāhito; Sīlato naṁ pasaṁsanti, tassa sampajjate sutaṁ.

If you don’t learn much, and you are steady in ethics, they’ll praise your ethical conduct, since your learning has succeeded.

Bahussutopi ce hoti, sīlesu asamāhito; Sīlato naṁ garahanti, nāssa sampajjate sutaṁ.

If you learn much, but aren’t steady in ethics, they’ll criticize your ethical conduct, for your learning hasn’t succeeded.

Bahussutopi ce hoti, sīlesu susamāhito; Ubhayena naṁ pasaṁsanti, sīlato ca sutena ca.

If you learn much, and you are steady in ethics, they’ll praise you on both counts, for your ethics and your learning.

Bahussutaṁ dhammadharaṁ, sappaññaṁ buddhasāvakaṁ; Nekkhaṁ jambonadasseva, ko taṁ ninditumarahati; Devāpi naṁ pasaṁsanti, brahmunāpi pasaṁsito”ti.

A wise disciple of the Buddha who is learned and has memorized the teachings; like a pendant of river gold, who is worthy to criticize them? Even the gods praise them, and by Brahmā, too, they’re praised.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.