4: The Book of the Fours
X. Demons — AN 4.97: Quick-witted
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world. What four?
- One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others;
- one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves;
- one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; and
- one who practices to benefit both themselves and others.
2And how does a person practice to benefit themselves, but not others? It’s when a person is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice accordingly. But they’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. That’s how a person practices to benefit themselves, but not others.
3And how does a person practice to benefit others, but not themselves? It’s when a person is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … But they’re a good speaker. … That’s how a person practices to benefit others, but not themselves.
4And how does a person practice to benefit neither themselves nor others? It’s when a person is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … Nor are they a good speaker. … That’s how a person practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.
5And how does a person practice to benefit both themselves and others? It’s when a person is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … And they’re a good speaker. … That’s how a person practices to benefit both themselves and others.
These are the four people found in the world.”
1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?
Attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya,
nevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.
2Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
3Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya.
4Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
5Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin"ti.
Sattamaṁ.