AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.73 A Good Person

Numbered Discourses 4.73 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.73

8. Guaranteed – 8. Apaṇṇakavagga

AN 4.73 A Good Person – Sappurisasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, a bad person can be known by four qualities.

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo.

1.2

What four?

Katamehi catūhi?

1.3

To start with, a bad person speaks ill of another even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

1.4

But when led on by questions they speak ill of another in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

1.5

That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

2.1

Furthermore, a bad person doesn’t speak well of another even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

2.2

But when led on by questions they speak well of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

2.3

That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

3.1

Furthermore, a bad person doesn’t speak ill of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

3.2

But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

3.3

That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

4.1

Furthermore, a bad person speaks well of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

4.2

But when led on by questions they speak well of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

4.3

That’s how to know that this is a bad person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

4.4

A bad person can be known by these four qualities.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo.

5.1

A good person can be known by four qualities.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo.

5.2

What four?

Katamehi catūhi?

5.3

To start with, a good person doesn’t speak ill of another even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

5.4

But when led on by questions they speak ill of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

5.5

That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

6.1

Furthermore, a good person speaks well of another even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

6.2

But when led on by questions they speak well of another in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

6.3

That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

7.1

Furthermore, a good person speaks ill of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

7.2

But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

7.3

That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

8.1

Furthermore, a good person doesn’t speak well of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

8.2

But when led on by questions they speak well of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

8.3

That’s how to know that this is a good person.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

8.4

A good person can be known by these four qualities.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo.

9.1

It’s like a bride on the day or night she’s first brought to her husband’s home. Right away she sets up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for her mother and father in law, her husband, and even the bondservants, workers, and staff.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vadhukā yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā ānītā hoti, tāvadevassā tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti sassuyāpi sasurepi sāmikepi antamaso dāsakammakaraporisesu.

9.2

But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, she’ll even say to her mother and father in law, or to her husband:

Sā aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya sassumpi sasurampi sāmikampi evamāha:

9.3

‘Go away! What would you know?’

‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti.

9.4

In the same way, on the day or night a bhikkhu first goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, right away they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, and even the monastery workers and novices.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, tāvadevassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti bhikkhūsu bhikkhunīsu upāsakesu upāsikāsu antamaso ārāmikasamaṇuddesesu.

9.5

But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, they’ll even say to their teacher or mentor:

So aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya ācariyampi upajjhāyampi evamāha:

9.6

‘Go away! What would you know?’

‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti.

9.7

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

9.8

‘We will live with hearts like that of a newly wedded bride.’

‘adhunāgatavadhukāsamena cetasā viharissāmā’ti.

9.9

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

9.10

Tatiyaṁ.