Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXI: Sappurisa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XXI: The Worthy Man[1]
Sutta 201
Sappurisa Suttaṃ
The Precepts
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, I will teach you the unworthy man
and the still more unworthy man.
I will teach you the worthy man
and the still more worthy man.
Do ye listen to it carefully.
Apply your minds and I will speak."
'Yes, lord,'
replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
[231] 'And of what sort, monks, is the unworthy man?
Herein a certain person
is one who takes life,
steals,
is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
is a liar,
is given to the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence.
This one is called
"the unworthy man."
■
And of what sort, monks, is the still more unworthy man?
Herein a certain person
himself is one who takes life,
and further encourages another to take life;
himself is one who steals,
and further encourages another to steal;
himself is one who is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
and further encourages another to be a wrong-doer in sense-desires;
himself is one who is a liar,
and further encourages another to be a liar;
himself is one who is given to the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence,
and further encourages another to be one who is given to the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence.
This one is called
"the still more unworthy man."
■
And of what sort, monks, is the worthy man?
Herein a certain person
is one who abstains from taking life,
stealing,
one who abstains from wrong-doing in sense-desires,
one who abstains from lying,
one who abstains from the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence.
This one is called
"the worthy man."
■
And of what sort, monks, is the still more worthy man?
Herein a certain person
not only himself abstains from taking life,
but also encourages another
to abstain from taking life;
not only himself abstains from stealing,
but also encourages another
to abstain from stealing;
not only himself abstains from wrong-doing in sense-desires,
but also encourages another
to abstain from wrong-doing in sense-desires;
not only himself abstains from lying,
but also encourages another
to abstain from lying;
not only himself abstains from the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence,
but also encourages another
to abstain from the use of liquor
fermented and distilled,
causing negligence.
This one is called
"the still more worthy man." '
[1] Sappurisa. Cf. Pugg. iv, pp. 38-9.
