Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXI: Sappurisa Vagga

The Book of the Fours

Sutta 206

Sappurisa Suttaṃ (6)

The Good Person (6)

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts] "I will delineate for you, beggars,
the not-good person
and the not-good person of not-good persons
and the good person
and the good person of good persons.

Listen up!
Pay attention!
I will speak!"

"Even so Elder!" The Beggars responded.

The Lucky Man said this:

"And what, beggars, is the not-good person?

Here beggars, someone
has misguided view,
has misguided principles,
has misguided speech,
has misguided works,
has misguided lifestyle,
has misguided self-control,
has misguided mind,
has misguided serenity,
has misguided knowledge,
has misguided freedom.

This beggars is the not-good person.

And what, beggars is the not-good person of not-good persons?

Here beggars, a someone
himself has misguided view,
and further extols misguided view;
himself has misguided principles,
and further extols misguided principles;
himself has misguided speech,
and further extols misguided speech;
himself has misguided works,
and further extols misguided works;
himself has misguided lifestyle,
and further extols misguided lifestyle;
himself has misguided self-control,
and further extols misguided self-control;
himself has misguided mind,
and further extols misguided mind;
himself has misguided serenity,
and further extols misguided serenity;
himself has misguided knowledge,
and further extols misguided knowledge;
himself has misguided freedom,
and further extols misguided freedom.

This beggars is the not-good person of not-good persons.

And what, beggars is the good person?

Here beggars, someone
has high view,
has high principles,
has high speech,
has high works,
has high lifestyle,
has high self-control,
has high mind,
has high serenity,
has high knowledge,
has high freedom.

This beggars is the good person.

And what, beggars is the good person of good persons?

Here beggars, a someone
himself has high view,
and further extols high view;
himself has high principles,
and further extols high principles;
himself has high speech,
and further extols high speech;
himself has high works,
and further extols high works;
himself has high lifestyle,
and further extols high lifestyle;
himself has high self-control,
and further extols high self-control;
himself has high mind,
and further extols high mind;
himself has high serenity,
and further extols high serenity;
himself has high knowledge,
and further extols high knowledge;
himself has high freedom,
and further extols high freedom.

This beggars is the good person of good persons.

This beggars is the not-good person,
the not-good person of not-good persons,
the good person,
and the good person of good persons."