Lakkhaṇasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.2

Numbered Discourses 3.2

1. Bālavagga

1. Fools

Lakkhaṇasutta

Characteristics

“Kammalakkhaṇo, bhikkhave, bālo, kammalakkhaṇo paṇḍito, apadānasobhanī paññāti.

“A fool is characterized by their deeds, and an astute person is characterized by their deeds, for wisdom shines in its traces.

Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo.

A fool is known by three things.

Katamehi tīhi?

What three?

Kāyaduccaritena, vacīduccaritena, manoduccaritena.

Bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo.

These are the three things by which a fool is known.

Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo.

An astute person is known by three things.

Katamehi tīhi?

What three?

Kāyasucaritena, vacīsucaritena, manosucaritena.

Good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo.

These are the three things by which an astute person is known.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo te tayo dhamme abhinivajjetvā, yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo te tayo dhamme samādāya vattissāmā’ti.

‘We will shun the three things by which a fool is known, and we will proceed having undertaken the three things by which an astute person is known.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Dutiyaṁ.