Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXI: Sappurisa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XXI: The Worthy Man
Sutta 202
Dutiya Sappurisa Suttaṃ
The Believer
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, I will teach you the unworthy man
and the still more unworthy man.
I will teach you the worthy man
and the still more worthy man.
Do ye listen to it carefully.
Apply your minds and I will speak."
'Yes, lord,'
replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said this:
'And of what sort, monks, is the unworthy man?
Herein a certain person
is one who believes not,
who is shameless,
reckless,
of small learning,
indolent,
of distracted mindfulness,
and weak in wisdom.
This one is called
"the unworthy man."
■
And of what sort is the still more unworthy man?
Herein a certain person
is one who himself believes not,
and encourages another to unbelief;
who is himself shameless,
and encourages another to be shameless;
who is himself rcckless,
and encourages another to be reckless;
who is himself of small learning,
and encourages another to be of small learning;
who is himself indolent,
and encourages another to be indolent;
who is himself of distracted mindfulness,
and encourages another to be of distracted mindfulness;
who is himself weak in wisdom,
and encourages another to be weak in wisdom.
This one is called
"the still more unworthy man."
■
[232] And of what sort is the worthy man?
Herein a certain person
is a believer,
modest,
conscientious,
of wide learning,
of ardent energy,
of good memory
and strong in wisdom.
This one is called
"the worthy man."
■
And of what sort, monks,
is the still more worthy man?
Herein a certain person
is possessed of faith,
and encourages another to possess faith;
is himself modest,
and encourages another to be modest;
is himself conscientious,
and encourages another to be conscientious;
is himself widely learned,
and encourages another to be widely learned;
is himself of ardent energy,
and encourages another to be of ardent energy;
is himself of settled mindfulness,
and encourages another to be of settled mindfulness;
is himself strong in wisdom,
and encourages another to be strong in wisdom.
This one is called
"the still more worthy man."
