AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.6 A Little Learning

Numbered Discourses 4.6 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.6

1. At Bhaṇḍa Village – 1. Bhaṇḍagāmavagga

AN 4.6 A Little Learning – Appassutasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, these four people are found in the world.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What four? A person may have:

Katame cattāro?

1.3

Little learning and not get the point of learning.

Appassuto sutena anupapanno,

1.4

Little learning but get the point of learning.

appassuto sutena upapanno,

1.5

Much learning but not get the point of learning.

bahussuto sutena anupapanno,

1.6

Much learning and get the point of learning.

bahussuto sutena upapanno.

1.7

And how has a person learned little and not got the point of learning?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena anupapanno?

1.8

It’s when a person has learned little of the

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa appakaṁ sutaṁ hoti—

1.9

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ.

1.10

And with the little they’ve learned, they understand neither the meaning nor the text, nor do they practice in line with the teaching.

So tassa appakassa sutassa na atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti.

1.11

That’s how a person has learned little and not got the point of learning.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena anupapanno.

2.1

And how has a person learned little but has got the point of learning?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena upapanno?

2.2

It’s when a person has learned little of the

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa appakaṁ sutaṁ hoti—

2.3

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ.

2.4

But with the little they’ve learned, they understand the meaning and the text, and they practice in line with the teaching.

So tassa appakassa sutassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti.

2.5

That’s how a person has learned little but has got the point of learning.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo appassuto hoti sutena upapanno.

3.1

And how has a person learned much but hasn't got the point of learning?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena anupapanno?

3.2

It’s when a person has learned much of the

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa bahukaṁ sutaṁ hoti—

3.3

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ.

3.4

But even though they’ve learned much, they understand neither the meaning nor the text, nor do they practice in line with the teaching.

So tassa bahukassa sutassa na atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti.

3.5

That’s how a person has learned much but hasn't got the point of learning.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena anupapanno.

4.1

And how has a person learned much and has got the point of learning?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena upapanno?

4.2

It’s when a person has learned much of the

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa bahukaṁ sutaṁ hoti—

4.3

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthā udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ.

4.4

And with the large amount they’ve learned, they understand the meaning and the text, and they practice in line with the teaching.

So tassa bahukassa sutassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti.

4.5

That’s how a person has learned much and has got the point of learning.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo bahussuto hoti sutena upapanno.

4.6

These are the four people found in the world.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

5.1

If you don’t learn much,

Appassutopi ce hoti,

5.2

and aren’t steady in ethics,

sīlesu asamāhito;

5.3

they’ll criticize you on both counts,

Ubhayena naṁ garahanti,

5.4

for your ethics and your learning.

sīlato ca sutena ca.

6.1

If you don’t learn much,

Appassutopi ce hoti,

6.2

and you are steady in ethics,

sīlesu susamāhito;

6.3

they’ll praise your ethical conduct,

Sīlato naṁ pasaṁsanti,

6.4

since your learning has succeeded.

tassa sampajjate sutaṁ.

7.1

If you learn much,

Bahussutopi ce hoti,

7.2

but aren’t steady in ethics,

sīlesu asamāhito;

7.3

they’ll criticize your ethical conduct,

Sīlato naṁ garahanti,

7.4

for your learning hasn’t succeeded.

nāssa sampajjate sutaṁ.

8.1

If you learn much,

Bahussutopi ce hoti,

8.2

and you are steady in ethics,

sīlesu susamāhito;

8.3

they’ll praise you on both counts,

Ubhayena naṁ pasaṁsanti,

8.4

for your ethics and your learning.

sīlato ca sutena ca.

9.1

A wise disciple of the Buddha

Bahussutaṁ dhammadharaṁ,

9.2

who is learned and has memorized the teachings;

sappaññaṁ buddhasāvakaṁ;

9.3

like a pendant of river gold,

Nekkhaṁ jambonadasseva,

9.4

who is worthy to criticize them?

ko taṁ ninditumarahati;

9.5

Even the gods praise them,

Devāpi naṁ pasaṁsanti,

9.6

and by Brahmā, too, they’re praised.”

brahmunāpi pasaṁsito”ti.

9.7

Chaṭṭhaṁ.