Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXVI: Abhiññā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XXVI: Higher Knowledge
Sutta 260
Sāvajja - Anavajja Suttaṃ
Action
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[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, possessed of four qualities
the foolish,
sinful,
unworthy man
carries about with him
a lifeless,
uprooted self,
is blameworthy,
is censured by the intelligent
and begets much demerit.
What four?
Action of body that is blameworthy,
action of speech that is blameworthy,
action of thought that is blameworthy,
view that is blameworthy.
These are the four qualities
wherein the foolish,
sinful,
unworthy man
carries about with him
a lifeless,
uprooted self,
is blameworthy,
is censured by the intelligent
and begets much demerit.'
§
"Monks, possessed of four qualities[ed1]
the wise,
sinless,
worthy man
does not carry about with him
a lifeless,
uprooted self,
is not blameworthy,
is not censured by the intelligent
and begets much merit.
What four?
Action of body that is blameless,
action of speech that is blameless,
action of thought that is blameless,
view that is blameless.
These are the four qualities
wherein the wise,
sinless,
worthy man
does not carry about with him
a lifeless,
uprooted self,
is not blameworthy,
is not censured by the intelligent
and begets much merit.'
[ed1] Woodward omits this half of the sutta entirely.
