“Monks, live under a refuge, not without a refuge. One without a refuge, lives in suffering. There are these ten qualities that serve as a refuge. What ten?
(1) “Here, a monk is virtuous, dwells restrained by the monastic discipline and possesses good conduct and demeanor. Seeing danger in even slight faults, he is disciplined in the training rules. Monks, since a monk is virtuous, dwells restrained by the monastic discipline, possesses good conduct and demeanor, seeing danger in even slight faults, and is disciplined in the training rules. This is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(2) “Again monks, a monk has learned much Dhamma, remembers what he has learned, and retains the Dhamma he has learned. The Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaims the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—he has learned much of the Dhamma, retained it in mind, recited it verbally, investigated it mentally, and penetrated it well by view. Monks, since a monk has learned much Dhamma, remembers what he has learned, and retains the Dhamma he has learned. The Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaims the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—he has learned much of the Dhamma, retained it in mind, recited it verbally, investigated it mentally, and penetrated well by view. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(3) “Again monks, a monk has good friends, good companions, good associates. Monks, since a monk has good friends, good companions, good associates, this, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(4) “Again monks, a monk is obedient and possesses qualities that make him easy to correct; he is patient and receives instructions gracefully and with much respect. Monks, since a monk is obedient and easy to correct and possesses qualities that make him easy to correct; he is patient and receives instructions gracefully and with much respect. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(5) “Again monks, a monk is skillful and diligent in attending to the different chores & disciplinary tasks that are to be done for his fellow monks; he is not lazy and possesses sound judgment about them to carry out and arrange them properly. Monks, since a monk is skillful and diligent in attending to the different chores & disciplinary tasks that are to be done for his fellow monks; he is not lazy and possesses sound judgment about them to carry out and arrange them properly. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(6) “Again monks, a monk loves the Dhamma and preaches the Dhamma gracefully. He is filled with spiritual joy for the deep Dhamma and discipline. Monks, since a monk loves the Dhamma and preaches the Dhamma gracefully, since he is filled with spiritual joy for the deep Dhamma and discipline. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(7) “Again monks, a monk has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and developing wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in effort, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. Monks, since a monk has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and developing wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in effort, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(8) “Again monks, a monk is content with any kind of robe, alms food, lodging, and medicines. Monks, since a monk is content with any kind of robe, alms food, lodging, and medicines, this, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(9) “Again monks, a monk is mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and alertness, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. Monks, since a monk is mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and alertness, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
(10) “Again monks, a monk is wise; he possesses the wisdom that concerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. Monks, since a monk is wise; he possesses the wisdom that concerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. This, too, is a quality that serves as a refuge.
“Monks, live under a refuge, not without a refuge. One without a refuge, lives in suffering. Monks, these are the ten qualities that serve as a refuge.”
