Paṭhamapāpadhammasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.207

Numbered Discourses 4.207

21. Sappurisavagga

21. A True Person

Paṭhamapāpadhammasutta

Bad Character (1st)

“Pāpañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, pāpena pāpatarañca;

“Mendicants, I will teach you who’s bad and who’s worse,

kalyāṇañca, kalyāṇena kalyāṇatarañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe….

who’s good and who’s better.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpo?

And who’s bad?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti …pe… micchādiṭṭhiko hoti.

It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāpo.

This is called bad.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro?

And who’s worse?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti …pe… attanā ca micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca micchādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti.

It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. And they encourage others to do these things.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro.

This is called worse.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇo?

And who’s good?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… sammādiṭṭhiko hoti.

It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇo.

This is called good.

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro?

And who’s better?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti …pe… attanā ca sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca sammādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti.

It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And they encourage others to do these things.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro”ti.

This is called better.”

Sattamaṁ.