4: The Book of the Fours
I. At Bhaṇḍa Village — AN 4.7: Beautification
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, these four competent, educated, assured, learned people—who have memorized the teachings and practice in line with the teachings—beautify the Saṅgha. What four?
A monk, a nun, a layman, and a laywoman.
These four competent, educated, assured, learned people—who have memorized the teachings and practice in line with the teachings—beautify the Saṅgha.
2Whoever is competent and assured,
learned, a memorizer of the teachings,
who lives in line with the teachings—
such a person is said to beautify the Saṅgha.
3A monk accomplished in ethics,
and a learned nun,
a faithful layman,
and a faithful laywoman, too:
these beautify the Saṅgha,
they are the beautifiers of the Saṅgha.”
1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā saṅghaṁ sobhenti. Katame cattāro?
Bhikkhu, bhikkhave, viyatto vinīto visārado bahussuto dhammadharo dhammānudhammappaṭipanno saṅghaṁ sobheti. Bhikkhunī, bhikkhave, viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā saṅghaṁ sobheti. Upāsako, bhikkhave, viyatto vinīto visārado bahussuto dhammadharo dhammānudhammappaṭipanno saṅghaṁ sobheti. Upāsikā, bhikkhave, viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā saṅghaṁ sobheti.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā saṅghaṁ sobhentīti.
2Yo hoti viyatto ca visārado ca,
Bahussuto dhammadharo ca hoti;
Dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī,
Sa tādiso vuccati saṅghasobhano.
3Bhikkhu ca sīlasampanno,
bhikkhunī ca bahussutā;
Upāsako ca yo saddho,
yā ca saddhā upāsikā;
Ete kho saṅghaṁ sobhenti,
ete hi saṅghasobhanā"ti.
Sattamaṁ.