Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
III. Puggala Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
III. On Persons
Sutta 26
Sevitabba Suttaṃ
To Be Followed[1]
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh][upal] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, Lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said this:
"Monks, these three persons are found existing in the world.
What three?
There is a person who is not to be followed,
not to be served,
not to be honoured.
Then there is a person who should be followed,
served
and honoured.
And there is the one who is to be followed,
served
and honoured
with worship and reverence.
§
Now of what sort, monks,
is the one who is not to be followed?
In this case a certain person is inferior (to oneself) in virtue,
concentration
and insight.[2]
Such an one, monks,
is not to be followed,
served
or honoured,
except out of consideration,
except out of compassion for him.[3]
■
And of what sort, monks,
is the one who should be followed?
In this case a certain person is like oneself
in virtue,
concentration
and insight.
Such an one should be followed,
[108] served
and honoured.
Why?
With this idea:
'As we are both proficient in morals,
our talk will be of morality,
it will continue to our profit,[4]
and that will be to our comfort.
As we are both proficient in concentration
our talk will be of concentration,
it will continue to our profit,
and that will be to our comfort.
As we are both proficient in insight
our talk will be of insight,
it will continue to our profit,
and that will be to our comfort.'
Therefore such a person should be followed,
served
and honoured.
■
And of what sort, monks,
is the one who is to be followed,
served
and honoured
with worship and reverence?
In this case a certain person is superior to oneself
in virtue,
concentration
and insight.
Such an one should first be worshipped and revered,
then followed,
served
and honoured.
Why so?
With this idea:
'In this way I shall complete
the sum-total of virtues[5]
not yet complete:
or by insight
I shall supplement[6] it here and there
when it is complete:
or I shall complete
the sum-total of my concentration (exercises)
not yet complete:
or I shall supplement it by insight
here and there
when it is complete.
Or again I shall complete
the sum-total of my insight
not yet complete,
or, when complete,
I shall supplement it here and there
by insight.'
Therefore such a person should be followed,
served
and honoured
with worship and reverence.
These, monks, are the three persons found existing in the world.
Who follows mean companions soon decays:
He never fails who with his equals mates:
Who leans towards the noble rises soon.
So do thou serve a better than thyself.'[7]
[1] Cf. Pugg., p. 35.
[2] Sila-samādhi-pañña (the three divisions of the Eightfold Way), roughly corresponding to the stages of the virtuous man, the intellectually awake and the intuitively awake (who are beyond the common person or puthujjana). So divided by Dhammadinnā at M. i, 301.
[3] Anuddayāya. Text has anuddayā.
[4] Pavattanī. Pugg. reads -inī, and has this sentence third in order. Comy. pavattissati na patihaññissati. Cf. infra, text 151.
[5] Sīlakkhandha. Cf. Expos. i, 187.
[6] Anuggahissāmi.
