Paṭhamakhatasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.3

Numbered Discourses 4.3

1. Bhaṇḍagāmavagga

1. At Wares Village

Paṭhamakhatasutta

Broken (1st)

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

“When a foolish, incompetent untrue person has four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism,

ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

and they criticize those deserving of praise.

ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā appasādanīye ṭhāne pasādaṁ upadaṁseti,

They arouse faith in things that are dubious,

ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā pasādanīye ṭhāne appasādaṁ upadaṁseti—

and they don’t arouse faith in things that are inspiring.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

When a foolish, incompetent untrue person has these four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati.

When an astute, competent true person has four qualities they keep themselves intact and unscathed. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Anuvicca pariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism,

anuvicca pariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

and they praise those deserving of praise.

anuvicca pariyogāhetvā appasādanīye ṭhāne appasādaṁ upadaṁseti,

They don’t arouse faith in things that are dubious,

anuvicca pariyogāhetvā pasādanīye ṭhāne pasādaṁ upadaṁseti—

and they do arouse faith in things that are inspiring.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatīti.

When an astute, competent true person has these four qualities they keep themselves healthy and whole. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.

Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati,

When you praise someone worthy of criticism,

Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo;

or criticize someone worthy of praise,

Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ,

you choose a losing hand with your own mouth:

Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.

you’ll never find happiness that way.

Appamatto ayaṁ kali,

A losing hand at dice is a trivial thing,

Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo;

if all you lose is your money

Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā,

and all you own, even yourself.

Ayameva mahantataro kali;

What’s a really terrible hand

Yo sugatesu manaṁ padosaye.

is to hate the holy ones.

Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,

For a hundred thousand times a hundred million,

Chattiṁsatī pañca ca abbudāni;

times five hundred and thirty-six times
a thousand times ten million years

Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti,

a slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,

Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakan”ti.

having aimed bad words and thoughts at them.”

Tatiyaṁ.