This is as I heard from the Blessed One. At one time the Buddha was staying in the city of Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery built by Migāra’s mother. Now, at that time it was the full moon uposatha on the fifteenth day of the month—and the Buddha was sitting in the open, surrounded by an assembly of monks. Then the Buddha looked around the assembly of monks, who were so very silent. He addressed them, “Monks, could an unrighteous person know of an unrighteous person: ‘This fellow is an unrighteous person’?”
“No, bhante.”
“Good, monks! It is impossible, it cannot happen, that an unrighteous person could know of an unrighteous person: ‘This fellow is an unrighteous person.’ But monks, could an unrighteous person know of a righteous person: ‘This fellow is a righteous person’?”
“No, bhante.”
“Good, monks! It is impossible, it cannot happen, that an unrighteous person could know of a righteous person: ‘This fellow is a righteous person.’
Monks,
- An unrighteous person has bad qualities.
- An unrighteous person associates with unrighteous persons.
- An unrighteous person thinks unrighteous thoughts.
- An unrighteous person holds unrighteous conversations.
- An unrighteous person speaks unrighteous words.
- An unrighteous person performs unrighteous actions.
- An unrighteous person holds unrighteous views.
- An unrighteous person gives gifts in an unrighteous way.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person have bad qualities? Monks, an unrighteous person has no faith in the Buddha’s enlightenment, has no shame of wrongdoing, has no fear of wrongdoing, lacks knowledge of the Dhamma, does not possess effort to abandon unwholesome qualities, unmindful, and unwise. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person has bad qualities.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person associate with unrighteous persons? Monks, an unrighteous person is a friend and companion of people who have no faith in the Buddha’s enlightenment, have no shame of wrongdoing, have no fear of wrongdoing, lack knowledge of the Dhamma, do not possess effort to abandon unwholesome qualities, unmindful, and unwise. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person associates with unrighteous persons.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person think unrighteous thoughts? An unrighteous person thinks to endanger himself, endanger others, and endanger both. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person thinks unrighteous thoughts.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person hold unrighteous conversations? Monks, an unrighteous person holds conversations that endanger himself, endanger others, and endanger both. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person holds unrighteous conversations.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person speak unrighteous words? Monks, an unrighteous person lies, speaks divisively, harshly, and idly. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person speaks unrighteous words.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person perform unrighteous actions? Monks, an unrighteous person kills living beings, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. Monks, that is how an unrighteous person performs unrighteous actions.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person hold unrighteous views? Monks, an unrighteous person has such views: ‘There is no result in giving. There is no result in offerings. There is no result of providing services. There is no fruit or result of good and bad actions. There is no this world. There is no next world. There is no special person called mother. There is no special person called father. There are no beings that are born spontaneously (hell beings, heavenly beings, ghostly beings and some humans). And there is no person conducted and rightly practiced, and who describes this world and the next after realizing it with his own insight.’ Monks, that is how an unrighteous person holds unrighteous views.
Monks, how does an unrighteous person give gifts in an unrighteous way? Monks, an unrighteous person gives a gift without proper preparation, not with his own hand, and without respect. He gives what is to be thrown away, and he gives without consideration: “What I give will come back to me.” Monks, that is how an unrighteous person gives gifts in an unrighteous way.
Monks, that unrighteous person—who has such bad qualities, associates with unrighteous persons, and thinks unrighteous thoughts, holds unrighteous conversations, speaks unrighteous words, performs unrighteous actions, holds unrighteous views, and gives gifts in an unrighteous way—after death, is reborn in the worlds where unrighteous persons are reborn. Monks, what are the worlds where unrighteous persons are reborn? Hell, or animal world.
Monks, could a righteous person know of a righteous person: ‘This fellow is a righteous person’?”
“Yes, bhante.”
“Good, monks! It is possible that a righteous person could know of a righteous person: ‘This fellow is a righteous person.’ But monks, could a righteous person know of an unrighteous person: ‘This fellow is an unrighteous person’?”
“Yes, bhante.”
“Good, monks! It is possible that a righteous person could know of an unrighteous person: ‘This fellow is an unrighteous person’.”
Monks,
- A righteous person has good qualities.
- A righteous person associates with righteous persons.
- A righteous person thinks righteous thoughts.
- A righteous person holds righteous conversations.
- A righteous person speaks righteous words.
- A righteous person performs righteous actions.
- A righteous person holds righteous views.
- A righteous person gives gifts in a righteous way.
Monks, how does a righteous person have good qualities? Monks, a righteous person has faith in the Buddha’s enlightenment, has shame of wrongdoing, has fear of wrongdoing, has extensive knowledge of the Dhamma, possesses energy to abandon unwholesome qualities, mindful, and wise. Monks, that is how a righteous person has good qualities.
Monks, how does a righteous person associate with righteous persons? Monks, a righteous person is a friend and companion of people who have faith in the Buddha’s enlightenment, have shame of wrongdoing, have fear of wrongdoing, have extensive knowledge of the Dhamma, possess energy to abandon unwholesome qualities, mindful, and wise. Monks, that is how a righteous person associates with righteous persons.
Monks, how does a righteous person think righteous thoughts? Monks, a righteous person does not think to endanger himself, endanger others, and endanger both. Monks, that is how a righteous person thinks righteous thoughts.
Monks, how does a righteous person hold righteous conversations?Monks, a righteous person holds conversations that do not endanger himself, endanger others, and endanger both. Monks, that is how a righteous person holds righteous conversations.
Monks, how does a righteous person speak righteous words? Monks, a righteous person does not lie, does not speak divisively, harshly, or idly. Monks, that is how a righteous person speaks righteous words.
Monks, how does a righteous person perform righteous actions? Monks, a righteous person does not kill living beings, steal, and commit sexual misconduct. Monks, that is how a righteous person performs righteous actions.
Monks, how does a righteous person hold righteous views? Monks, a righteous person has such views: ‘There are results of giving. There are results of offerings. There are results of providing services. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is this life. There is the next life. There is a special person called mother. There is a special person called father. There are beings that are born spontaneously. There are people who are rightly conducted and rightly practiced, and who describe this life and next life after realizing it with their own insight.’ Monks, that is how a righteous person holds righteous views.
Monks, how does a righteous person give gifts in a righteous way? Monks, a righteous person gives gifts well prepared, with his own hand, and with respect. He does not give what is to be thrown away, and he gives with the consideration: “What I give will come back to me.” Monks, that is how a righteous person gives gifts in a righteous way.
Monks, that righteous person—who has such good qualities, associates with righteous persons, and thinks righteous thoughts, holds righteous conversations, speaks righteous words, performs righteous actions, holds righteous views, and gives gifts in a righteous way—after death, is reborn in the places where righteous persons are reborn. Monks, what are the places where righteous persons are reborn? As prestigious gods or humans.”
That is what the Blessed One taught. Monks were delighted in the words of the Buddha. The monks retained in mind what the Blessed One taught.
