AN 3.30

Avakujjasutta

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Avakujjapañño puggalo, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo, puthupañño puggalo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, avakujjapañño puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti; vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbho nikujjo tatra udakaṁ āsittaṁ vivaṭṭati, no saṇṭhāti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti; vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, avakujjapañño puggalo.

Upside-down

“These three individuals are found in the world. What three? One with upside-down wisdom, one with wisdom on their lap, and one with widespread wisdom. And who is the individual with upside-down wisdom? It’s an individual who often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. But even while sitting there, that person doesn’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. And when they rise from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. It’s like when a pot full of water is tipped over, so the water drains out and doesn’t stay. In the same way, an individual often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. But even while sitting there, that person doesn’t apply the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, or end. And when they rise from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. This is called an individual with upside-down wisdom.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti; vuṭṭhito ca kho tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, purisassa ucchaṅge nānākhajjakāni ākiṇṇāni— tilā taṇḍulā modakā badarā. So tamhā āsanā vuṭṭhahanto satisammosā pakireyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti; vuṭṭhito ca kho tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya neva ādiṁ manasi karoti, na majjhaṁ manasi karoti, na pariyosānaṁ manasi karoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ucchaṅgapañño puggalo.

And who is the individual with wisdom on their lap? It’s an individual who often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. While sitting there, that person applies the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, and end. But when they rise from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. It’s like a person who has different kinds of food crammed on their lap— such as sesame, rice, sweets, or jujube— so that if they rise from the seat without mindfulness, everything gets scattered. In the same way, an individual often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. While sitting there, that person applies the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, and end. But when they rise from their seat, they don’t apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. This is called an individual with wisdom on their lap.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puthupañño puggalo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti; vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbho ukkujjo tatra udakaṁ āsittaṁ saṇṭhāti no vivaṭṭati; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo ārāmaṁ gantā hoti abhikkhaṇaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dhammassavanāya. Tassa bhikkhū dhammaṁ desenti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsenti. So tasmiṁ āsane nisinno tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti; vuṭṭhitopi tamhā āsanā tassā kathāya ādimpi manasi karoti, majjhampi manasi karoti, pariyosānampi manasi karoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puthupañño puggalo. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

And who is the individual with widespread wisdom? It’s an individual who often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. While sitting there, they apply the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, and end. And when they rise from their seat, they continue to apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. It’s like when a pot full of water is set straight, so the water stays and doesn’t drain out. In the same way, an individual often goes to the monastery to hear the teaching in the presence of the mendicants. The mendicants teach them Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. While sitting there, they apply the mind to the discussion in the beginning, middle, and end. And when they rise from their seat, they continue to apply the mind to the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion. This is called an individual with widespread wisdom. These are the three individuals found in the world.

Avakujjapañño puriso, dummedho avicakkhaṇo; Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti, gantā bhikkhūna santike.

A person with upside-down wisdom, is a simpleton and cannot see, and even if they frequently go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca, pariyosānañca tādiso; Uggahetuṁ na sakkoti, paññā hissa na vijjati.

such a person can’t learn the beginning, middle, or end of the discussion, for their wisdom is lacking.

Ucchaṅgapañño puriso, seyyo etena vuccati; Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti, gantā bhikkhūna santike.

the individual with wisdom on their lap is better than that, it’s said; but even if they frequently go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca, pariyosānañca tādiso; Nisinno āsane tasmiṁ, uggahetvāna byañjanaṁ; Vuṭṭhito nappajānāti, gahitaṁ hissa mussati.

such a person can only learn the beginning, middle, and end while sitting in that seat; but they’ve only grasped the phrasing, for when they rise their understanding fails, and what they’ve learned is lost.

Puthupañño ca puriso, seyyo etehi vuccati; Abhikkhaṇampi ce hoti, gantā bhikkhūna santike.

The person with widespread wisdom is better than that, it’s said; and if they, too, frequently go into the mendicants’ presence,

Ādiṁ kathāya majjhañca, pariyosānañca tādiso; Nisinno āsane tasmiṁ, uggahetvāna byañjanaṁ.

one such can learn the beginning, middle, and end while sitting in that seat; and when they’ve grasped the phrasing,

Dhāreti seṭṭhasaṅkappo, Abyaggamānaso naro; Dhammānudhammappaṭipanno, Dukkhassantakaro siyā”ti.

they remember it with the best of intentions. That peaceful-hearted man, practicing in line with the teaching, would make an end of suffering.”