Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.97

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 4.97

10. Asuravagga
10. Titans

Khippanisantisutta

Quick-witted

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others;

parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya,
one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves;

nevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; and

attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.
one who practices to benefit both themselves and others.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya?
And how does a person practice to benefit themselves, but not others?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti;
It’s when a person is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.

no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
But they’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
That’s how a person practices to benefit themselves, but not others.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya?
And how does a person practice to benefit others, but not themselves?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti;
It’s when a person is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. …

kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
But they’re a good speaker. …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya.
That’s how a person practices to benefit others, but not themselves.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya?
And how does a person practice to benefit neither themselves nor others?

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
That’s how a person practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca?
And how does a person practice to benefit both themselves and others?

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca.
That’s how a person practices to benefit both themselves and others.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
These are the four people found in the world.”

Sattamaṁ.