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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

I. At Bhaṇḍa Village — AN 4.5: With the Stream

1“These four people are found in the world. What four? A person who goes with the stream; a person who goes against the stream; a steadfast person; and a brahmin who has crossed over and stands on the far shore.


And who is the person who goes with the stream? It’s a person who takes part in sensual pleasures and does bad deeds. This is called a person who goes with the stream.

2And who is the person who goes against the stream? It’s a person who doesn’t take part in sensual pleasures or do bad deeds. They live the full and pure spiritual life in pain and sadness, weeping, with tearful faces. This is called a person who goes against the stream.

3And who is the steadfast person? It’s a person who, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They’re extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is called a steadfast person.

4And who is a brahmin who has crossed over and stands on the far shore? It’s a person who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. This is called a brahmin who has crossed over and stands on the far shore.

These are the four people found in the world.


5All those people with uncontrolled sensuality,
not free of lust, enjoying sensual pleasures in this life:
again and again, they return to birth and old age;
those who go with the stream are sunk in craving.

6So a wise one in this life, with mindfulness established,
doesn’t take part in sensual pleasures and bad deeds.
In pain they’d give up sensual pleasures:
they call that person ‘one who goes against the stream’.

7Someone who’s given up five corruptions,
a perfect trainee, not liable to decline,
who’s mastered their mind, with faculties immersed in samādhi,
that’s called ‘a steadfast person’.

8The sage who has comprehended all things, high and low,
cleared them and ended them, so they are no more;
they’ve completed the spiritual journey, and gone to the end of the world,
they’re called ‘one who has gone beyond’.”

1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Anusotagāmī puggalo, paṭisotagāmī puggalo, ṭhitatto puggalo, tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.


Katamo ca, bhikkhave, anusotagāmī puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kāme ca paṭisevati, pāpañca kammaṁ karoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anusotagāmī puggalo.

2Katamo ca, bhikkhave, paṭisotagāmī puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kāme ca nappaṭisevati, pāpañca kammaṁ na karoti, sahāpi dukkhena sahāpi domanassena assumukhopi rudamāno paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paṭisotagāmī puggalo.

3Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ṭhitatto puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī, anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ṭhitatto puggalo.

4Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.


5Ye keci kāmesu asaññatā janā,
Avītarāgā idha kāmabhogino;
Punappunaṁ jātijarūpagāmi te,
Taṇhādhipannā anusotagāmino.

6Tasmā hi dhīro idhupaṭṭhitassatī,
Kāme ca pāpe ca asevamāno;
Sahāpi dukkhena jaheyya kāme,
Paṭisotagāmīti tamāhu puggalaṁ.

7Yo ve kilesāni pahāya pañca,
Paripuṇṇasekho aparihānadhammo;
Cetovasippatto samāhitindriyo,
Sa ve ṭhitattoti naro pavuccati.

8Paroparā yassa samecca dhammā,
Vidhūpitā atthagatā na santi;
Sa ve muni vusitabrahmacariyo,
Lokantagū pāragatoti vuccatī"ti.

Pañcamaṁ.