Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXI: Sappurisa Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XXI: The Worthy Man

Sutta 202

Dutiya Sappurisa Suttaṁ

The Believer

Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

For details see Terms of Use.

 

---

[231]

[1] Thus have I heard:

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 this:

'And of what sort, monks, is the unworthy man?

Herein a certain person
is one who believes not,
who is shameless,
reckless,
of small learning,
indolent,
of distracted mindfulness,
and weak in wisdom.

This one is called
"the unworthy man."

■

And of what sort is the still more unworthy man?

Herein a certain person
is one who himself believes not,
and encourages another to unbelief;

who is himself shameless,
and encourages another to be shameless;

who is himself rcckless,
and encourages another to be reckless;

who is himself of small learning,
and encourages another to be of small learning;

who is himself indolent,
and encourages another to be indolent;

who is himself of distracted mindfulness,
and encourages another to be of distracted mindfulness;

who is himself weak in wisdom,
and encourages another to be weak in wisdom.

This one is called
"the still more unworthy man."

■

[232] And of what sort is the worthy man?

Herein a certain person
is a believer,
modest,
conscientious,
of wide learning,
of ardent energy,
of good memory
and strong in wisdom.

This one is called
"the worthy man."

■

And of what sort, monks,
is the still more worthy man?

Herein a certain person
is possessed of faith,
and encourages another to possess faith;

is himself modest,
and encourages another to be modest;

is himself conscientious,
and encourages another to be conscientious;

is himself widely learned,
and encourages another to be widely learned;

is himself of ardent energy,
and encourages another to be of ardent energy;

is himself of settled mindfulness,
and encourages another to be of settled mindfulness;

is himself strong in wisdom,
and encourages another to be strong in wisdom.

This one is called
"the still more worthy man."