Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.30

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 3.30

3. Puggalavagga
3. Persons

Avakujjasutta

Upside-down

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“These three people are found in the world.

Katame tayo?
What three?

Avakujjapañño puggalo, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo, puthupañño puggalo.
One with upside-down wisdom, one with wisdom on their lap, and one with widespread wisdom.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, avakujjapañño puggalo?
And who is the person with upside-down wisdom?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya.
It’s a person who often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants.

Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti.
The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti;
But even while sitting there, that person doesn’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion.

vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti.
And when they get up from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbho nikujjo tatra udakaṁ āsittaṁ vivaṭṭati, no saṇṭhāti;
It’s like when a pot full of water is tipped over, so the water drains out and doesn’t stay.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya.
In the same way, a person often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, avakujjapañño puggalo.
This is called a person with upside-down wisdom.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo?
And who is the person with wisdom on their lap?

So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti;
While sitting there, that person applies the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, and end.

vuṭṭhito ca kho tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti.
But when they get up from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, purisassa ucchaṅge nānākhajjakāni ākiṇṇāni—
It’s like a person who has different kinds of food crammed on their lap—

tilā taṇḍulā modakā badarā.
such as sesame, rice, sweets, or jujube—

So tamhā āsanā vuṭṭhahanto satisammosā pakireyya.
so that if they get up from the seat without mindfulness, everything gets scattered.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya.
In the same way, a person often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo.
This is called a person with wisdom on their lap.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puthupañño puggalo?
And who is the person with widespread wisdom?

vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti.
And when they get up from their seat, they continue to apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbho ukkujjo tatra udakaṁ āsittaṁ saṇṭhāti no vivaṭṭati;
It’s like when a pot full of water is set straight, so the water stays and doesn’t drain out.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puthupañño puggalo.
This is called a person with widespread wisdom.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.
These are the three people found in the world.

Avakujjapañño puriso,
A person with upside-down wisdom,

dummedho avicakkhaṇo;
is a simpleton and cannot see,

Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti,
and even if they frequently

gantā bhikkhūna santike.
go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca,
such a person can’t learn

pariyosānañca tādiso;
the beginning, middle, or end

Uggahetuṁ na sakkoti,
of the discussion,

paññā hissa na vijjati.
for their wisdom is lacking.

Ucchaṅgapañño puriso,
The person with wisdom on their lap

seyyo etena vuccati;
is better than that, it’s said;

Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti,
but even if they frequently

gantā bhikkhūna santike.
go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca,
such a person can only learn

pariyosānañca tādiso;
the beginning, middle, and end

Nisinno āsane tasmiṁ,
while sitting in that seat;

uggahetvāna byañjanaṁ;
but they’ve only grasped the phrasing,

Vuṭṭhito nappajānāti,
for when they get up their understanding fails,

gahitaṁ hissa mussati.
and what they’ve learned is lost.

Puthupañño ca puriso,
The person with widespread wisdom

seyyo etehi vuccati;
is better than that, it’s said;

Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti,
and if they, too, frequently

gantā bhikkhūna santike.
go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca,
such a person can learn

pariyosānañca tādiso;
the beginning, middle, and end

Nisinno āsane tasmiṁ,
while sitting in that seat;

uggahetvāna byañjanaṁ.
and when they’ve grasped the phrasing,

Dhāreti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,
they remember it with the best of intentions.

Abyaggamānaso naro;
That peaceful-hearted person,

Dhammānudhammappaṭipanno,
practicing in line with the teaching,

Dukkhassantakaro siyā”ti.
would make an end of suffering.”

Dasamaṁ.

Puggalavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samiddha gilāna saṅkhārā,

bahukārā vajirena ca;

Sevi jiguccha gūthabhāṇī,

andho ca avakujjatāti.