Sappurisasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.73

Numbered Discourses 4.73

8. Apaṇṇakavagga

8. Sure Bet

Sappurisasutta

A True Person

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo.

“Mendicants, an untrue person can be known by four qualities.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

To start with, an untrue person speaks ill of another even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of another in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is an untrue person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, an untrue person doesn’t speak well of another even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak well of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is an untrue person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, an untrue person doesn’t speak ill of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is an untrue person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, an untrue person speaks well of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak well of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is an untrue person.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato asappuriso veditabbo.

An untrue person can be known by these four qualities.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo.

A true person can be known by four qualities.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa avaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

To start with, a true person doesn’t speak ill of another even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena parassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is a true person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti parassa vaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, a true person speaks well of another even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena parassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak well of another in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is a true person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano avaṇṇo taṁ apuṭṭhopi pātu karoti, ko pana vādo puṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, a true person speaks ill of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto ahāpetvā alambitvā paripūraṁ vitthārena attano avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is a true person.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso yo hoti attano vaṇṇo taṁ puṭṭhopi na pātu karoti, ko pana vādo apuṭṭhassa.

Furthermore, a true person doesn’t speak well of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked.

Puṭṭho kho pana pañhābhinīto hāpetvā lambitvā aparipūraṁ avitthārena attano vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

But when summoned for questioning they speak well of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out.

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

That’s how to know that this is a true person.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato sappuriso veditabbo.

A true person can be known by these four qualities.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vadhukā yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā ānītā hoti, tāvadevassā tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti sassuyāpi sasurepi sāmikepi antamaso dāsakammakaraporisesu.

It’s like a bride on the day or night she’s first brought to her husband’s home. Right away she sets up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for her mother and father in law, her husband, and even the bondservants, workers, and staff.

Sā aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya sassumpi sasurampi sāmikampi evamāha:

But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, she’ll even say to her mother and father in law, or to her husband:

‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti.

‘Go away! What would you know?’

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu yaññadeva rattiṁ vā divaṁ vā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, tāvadevassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti bhikkhūsu bhikkhunīsu upāsakesu upāsikāsu antamaso ārāmikasamaṇuddesesu.

In the same way, on the day or night a mendicant first goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, right away they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, and even the monastery workers and novices.

So aparena samayena saṁvāsamanvāya vissāsamanvāya ācariyampi upajjhāyampi evamāha:

But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, they’ll even say to their tutor or mentor:

‘apetha, kiṁ pana tumhe jānāthā’ti.

‘Go away! What would you know?’

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘adhunāgatavadhukāsamena cetasā viharissāmā’ti.

‘We will live with hearts like that of a newly wedded bride.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Tatiyaṁ.