AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.28 Speech like Dung

Numbered Discourses 3.28 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.28

3. Persons – 3. Puggalavagga

AN 3.28 Speech like Dung – Gūthabhāṇīsutta

1.1

“These three kinds of people are found in the world.

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What three?

Katame tayo?

1.3

One with speech like dung, one with speech like flowers, and one with speech like honey.

Gūthabhāṇī, pupphabhāṇī, madhubhāṇī.

1.4

And who has speech like dung?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo gūthabhāṇī?

1.5

It’s someone who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, mister, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ So they deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti. So ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti; iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

1.6

This is called a person with speech like dung.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo gūthabhāṇī.

2.1

And who has speech like flowers?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo pupphabhāṇī?

2.2

It’s someone who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, mister, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ So they don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ pajānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti; iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

2.3

This is called a person with speech like flowers.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo pupphabhāṇī.

3.1

And who has speech like honey?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo madhubhāṇī?

3.2

It’s someone who gives up harsh speech.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti;

3.3

They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people.

yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

3.4

This is called a person with speech like honey.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo madhubhāṇī.

3.5

These are the three people found in the world.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

3.6

Aṭṭhamaṁ.