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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

X. Demons — AN 4.107: Mice

1“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of mice. What four?

  1. One makes a hole but doesn’t live in it,
  2. one lives in a hole but doesn’t make it,
  3. one neither makes a hole nor lives in it, and
  4. one both makes a hole and lives in it.

These are the four kinds of mice. In the same way, these four people similar to mice are found in the world. What four?

  1. One makes a hole but doesn’t live in it,
  2. one lives in a hole but doesn’t make it,
  3. one neither makes a hole nor lives in it, and
  4. one both makes a hole and lives in it.

2And how does a person make a hole but not live in it? It’s when a person memorizes the teaching— statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications. But they don’t really understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. That’s how a person makes a hole but doesn’t live in it. That person is like a mouse that makes a hole but doesn’t live in it, I say.

3And how does a person live in a hole but not make it? It’s when a person doesn’t memorize the teaching … But they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …


4And how does a person neither make a hole nor live in it? It’s when a person doesn’t memorize the teaching … Nor do they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

5And how does a person both make a hole and live in it? It’s when a person memorizes the teaching … And they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

These four people similar to mice are found in the world.”

1"Catasso imā, bhikkhave, mūsikā. Katamā catasso?

Gādhaṁ kattā no vasitā,

vasitā no gādhaṁ kattā,

neva gādhaṁ kattā no vasitā,

gādhaṁ kattā ca vasitā ca – 

imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso mūsikā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro mūsikūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

Gādhaṁ kattā no vasitā,

vasitā no gādhaṁ kattā,

neva gādhaṁ kattā no vasitā,

gādhaṁ kattā ca vasitā ca.


2Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gādhaṁ kattā hoti no vasitā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti – suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gādhaṁ kattā hoti, no vasitā. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, mūsikā gādhaṁ kattā, no vasitā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo vasitā hoti, no gādhaṁ kattā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dhammaṁ na pariyāpuṇāti – suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo vasitā hoti, no gādhaṁ kattā. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, mūsikā vasitā hoti, no gādhaṁ kattā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ, puggalaṁ vadāmi.


4Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo neva gādhaṁ kattā hoti no vasitā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dhammaṁ na pariyāpuṇāti – suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo neva gādhaṁ kattā hoti, no vasitā. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, mūsikā neva gādhaṁ kattā hoti, no vasitā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

5Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gādhaṁ kattā ca hoti vasitā ca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti – suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gādhaṁ kattā ca hoti vasitā ca. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, mūsikā gādhaṁ kattā ca hoti vasitā ca; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.


Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro mūsikūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin"ti.

Sattamaṁ.