1Then the wanderer Potaliya went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and the Buddha said to him:

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2“Potaliya, these four people are found in the world. What four?

One person criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and substantively. But they don’t praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and substantively.

Another person praises those deserving of praise … But they don’t criticize those deserving of criticism …

Another person doesn’t praise those deserving of praise … Nor do they criticize those deserving of criticism …

Another person criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and substantively. And they praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and substantively.

These are the four people found in the world. Of these four people, who do you believe to be the finest?”

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3“Master Gotama, of these four people, it is the person who neither praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and substantively; nor criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and substantively. That is the person I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Master Gotama, equanimity is the best.”

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4“Potaliya, of these four people, it is the person who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and substantively; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and substantively. That is the person I consider to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Potaliya, understanding of time and context is the best.”

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5“Master Gotama, of these four people, it is the person who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and substantively; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and substantively. That is the person I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Master Gotama, understanding of time and context is the best.

6Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

1Atha kho potaliyo paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho potaliyaṁ paribbājakaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

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2"Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

Idha, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

Ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ katamo te puggalo khamati abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro cā"ti?

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3"Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ upekkhā"ti.

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4"Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro … pe … ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, potaliya, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā"ti.

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5"Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro … pe … ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā.

6Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya:  ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Asuravaggo pañcamo.

7Asuro tayo samādhī,
chavālātena pañcamaṁ;
Rāgo nisanti attahitaṁ,
sikkhā potaliyena cāti.

Dutiyo paṇṇāsako samatto.