Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.73

Numbered Discourses 4.73

8. Apaṇṇakavagga

8. Guaranteed

Sappurisasutta

A Good Person

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo. Katamehi catūhi?

“Bhikkhus, a bad person can be known by four qualities. What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

To start with, a bad person speaks ill of another even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when led on by questions they speak ill of another in full detail, not leaving anything out. That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

Furthermore, a bad person doesn’t speak well of another even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when led on by questions they speak well of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

Furthermore, a bad person doesn’t speak ill of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo.

Furthermore, a bad person speaks well of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when led on by questions they speak well of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out. That’s how to know that this is a bad person. A bad person can be known by these four qualities.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo. Katamehi catūhi?

A good person can be known by four qualities. What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

To start with, a good person doesn’t speak ill of another even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when led on by questions they speak ill of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

Furthermore, a good person speaks well of another even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when led on by questions they speak well of another in full detail, not leaving anything out. That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

Furthermore, a good person speaks ill of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out. That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa. Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo.

Furthermore, a good person doesn’t speak well of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when led on by questions they speak well of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That’s how to know that this is a good person. A good person can be known by these four qualities.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vadhukā yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā ānītā hoti, tāvadevassā tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti sassuyāpi sasurepi sāmikepi antamaso dāsakammakaraporisesu. Sā aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya sassumpi sasurampi sāmikampi evamāha: ‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, tāvadevassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti bhikkhūsu bhikkhunīsu upāsakesu upāsikāsu antamaso ārāmikasamaṇuddesesu. So aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya ācariyampi upajjhāyampi evamāha: ‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti.

It’s like a bride on the day or night she’s first brought to her husband’s home. Right away she sets up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for her mother and father in law, her husband, and even the bondservants, workers, and staff. But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, she’ll even say to her mother and father in law, or to her husband: ‘Go away! What would you know?’ In the same way, on the day or night a bhikkhu first goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, right away they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, and even the monastery workers and novices. But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, they’ll even say to their teacher or mentor: ‘Go away! What would you know?’

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘adhunāgatavadhukāsamena cetasā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So you should train like this: ‘We will live with hearts like that of a newly wedded bride.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tatiyaṁ.