Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.78
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 8.78
8. Yamakavagga
8. Pairs
Alaṁsutta
Good Enough
Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi …pe…
There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:
chahāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, alaṁ paresaṁ.
“Reverends, a mendicant with six qualities is good enough for themselves and others.
Katamehi chahi?
What six?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.
kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā;
They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, chahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, alaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with these six qualities is good enough for themselves and others.
Pañcahāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, alaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with five qualities is good enough for themselves and others.
Katamehi pañcahi?
What five?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.
kalyāṇavāco ca hoti …pe…
They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
sandassako ca hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, alaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with these five qualities is good enough for themselves and others.
Catūhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with four qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Katamehi catūhi?
What four?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.
no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti …pe…
They’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning.
no ca sandassako hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with these four qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Catūhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
A mendicant with four qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
Katamehi catūhi?
What four?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
But they don’t examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti;
Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice accordingly.
kalyāṇavāco ca hoti …pe…
They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
sandassako ca hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
A mendicant with these four qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
Tīhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with three qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Katamehi tīhi?
What three?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.
no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti …pe…
They’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning.
no ca sandassako hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with these three qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Tīhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
A mendicant with three qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
Katamehi tīhi?
What three?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
But they don’t examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti;
Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice accordingly.
kalyāṇavāco ca hoti …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā,
They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
sandassako ca hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
A mendicant with these three qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
Dvīhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with two qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Katamehi dvīhi?
What two?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
And they don’t readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly.
no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti …pe…
They’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning.
no ca sandassako hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, dvīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ.
A mendicant with these two qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others.
Dvīhāvuso, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
A mendicant with two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
Katamehi dvīhi?
What two?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
And they don’t readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
Nor do they examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti;
Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice accordingly.
kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā;
They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
Imehi kho, āvuso, dvīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano”ti.
A mendicant with these two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.”
Aṭṭhamaṁ.