Majjhima Nikaya - Sappurisa Sutta

113. Sappurisa Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA III
2. 3. Sappurisasuttaü
(113) The Worthy One

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by
Anathapindika in Jeta's grove in Savatthi. The Blessed One addressed the
bhikkhus from there. `Bhikkhus, I will tell the features of the Worthy one and
the features of the unworthy one, listen and attend carefully.
Bhikkhus, what are the features of the worthy one? Here the unworthy one gone
forth from a high clan reflects. I have gone forth homeless from a high clan,
these others gone forth are not from high clans. On account of his high clan, he
praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one.
The worthy one reflects on account of high birth, these greedy things, angry
things and deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone gone forth homeless
from out side a high clan lives according to the Teaching, following the right
conduct, he would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He
honours the right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others.
Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one.
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one gone forth from an esteemed clan , ... . re
... . gone forth from a high and esteemed clan, ... . re ... . gone forth from a
noble clan reflects. I have gone forth homeless from a noble clan, these others
gone forth are not from noble clans. On account of his noble clan, he praises
himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy
one reflects on account of noble clan, these greedy things, angry things and
deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone gone forth homeless from out
side a noble clan lives according to the Teaching, following the right conduct,
he would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the
right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is
a feature of the worthy one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one gone forth is well-known and famous, he
reflects. I'm well-known and famous these others gone forth are not well-known
and famous On account of his fame, he praises himself and disparages others.
This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of
fame, these greedy things, angry things and deluded things do not get destroyed.
If someonenot well-known and famous gone forth homeless lives according to the
Teaching, following the right conduct, he would become honourable and
praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the right conduct and does not
praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy
one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is the gainer of robes, morsels, dwellings and
requisites for the ill and he reflects. I'm a gainer of robes, morsels,
dwellings and requisites for the ill, these others gone forth are not the
gainers of the four requisites On account of this, he praises himself and
disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one
reflects on account of gains, these greedy things, angry things and deluded
things do not get destroyed. If some non gainer of robes, morsels, dwellings
andrequisites for the ill, lives according to the Teaching, following the right
conduct, he would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He
honours the right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others.
Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is learned, he reflects. I'm learned, these
other bhikkhus are not learned On account of his learnedness, he praises himself
and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one
reflects on account of learnedness these greedy things, angry things and deluded
things do not get destroyed. If someone not learned lives according to the
Teaching, following the right conduct, he would become honourable and
praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the right conduct and does not
praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy
one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one bears the Discipline, he reflects. I bear the
Discipline these other bhikkhus do not bear the Discipline. On account of his
bearing the Discipline he praises himself and disparages others. This is a
feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of bearing the
Discipline these greedy things, angry things and deluded things do not get
destroyed. If someone not a bearer of the Discipline lives according to the
Teaching, following the right conduct, he would become honourable and
praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the right conduct and does not
praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy
one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a preacher, he reflects. I'm a preacher
these other bhikkhus are not preachers On account of his ability to preach he
praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one.
The worthy one reflects on account of the ability to preach, these greedy
things, angry things and deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone who is
not a preacher lives according to the Teaching, following the right conduct, he
would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the
right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is
a feature of the worthy one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a forest dweller, he reflects. I'm aforest
dweller these other bhikkhus are not forest dwellers On account of his dwelling
in the forest he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the
unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of dwelling in the forest these
greedy things, angry things and deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone
not dwelling in the forest, lives according to the Teaching, following the right
conduct, he would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He
honours the right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others.
Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a rag robe wearer, he reflects. I'm a rag
robe wearer these other bhikkhus are not rag robe wearers On account of his
wearing rag robes he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of
the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of wearing rag robes these
greedy things, angry things and deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone
not wearing rag robes lives according to the Teaching, following the right
conduct, he would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He
honours the right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others.
Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one.
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a partaker of morsels, he reflects. I'm a
partaker of morsels these other bhikkhus are not partakers of morsels. On
account of his partaking morsels, he praises himself and disparages others. This
is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of
partaking morsels these greedy things, angry things and deluded things do not
get destroyed. If someone not partaking morsels, lives according to the
Teaching, following the right conduct, he would become honourable and
praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the right conduct and does not
praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a tree root dweller, he reflects. I'm atree
root dweller, these other bhikkhus are not tree root dwellers On account of his
dwelling at the root of a tree, he praises himself and disparages others. This
is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects on account of dwelling
at the root of a tree these greedy things, angry things and deluded things do
not get destroyed. If someone not dwelling at the root of a tree, lives
according to the Teaching, following the right conduct, he would become
honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the right conduct
and does not praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is a feature of
the worthy one
Again bhikkhus, the unworthy one is a dweller in a charnel ground, ... . re ...
a dweller in the open, ... re ... one abiding in the sitting posture, re ... one
sleeping wherever possible, ... re ... one sitting on the same seat, he
reflects. I'm a sitter on the same seat, these other bhikkhus are not the
sitters on the same seat. On account of his sitting on the same seat, he praises
himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy
one reflects on account of sitting on the same seat, these greedy things, angry
things and deluded things do not get destroyed. If someone not a sitter on the
same seat, lives according to the Teaching, following the right conduct, he
would become honourable and praiseworthy, on account of that. He honours the
right conduct and does not praise himself or disparage others. Bhikkhus this is
a feature of the worthy one
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, secluded from sensual desires and things of
demerit, with thoughts and thought processes, and with joy and pleasantness born
of seclusion abides in the first jhàna. He reflects, I'm a gainer of the first
jhàna, these other bhikkhus are not the gainers of the first jhàna. On account
of his first jhàna he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature
of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects. The Blessed One has said, we
should not cling to even the first jhàna. Whatever we imagine it turns to be
otherwise. Giving the first preference to not clinging, he does not praise
himself or disparage others, on account of the first jhàna. Bhikkhus this is a
feature of the worthy one
.
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, overcoming thoughts and thought processes,
the mind internally appeased, in one point and with joy and pleasantness born of
concentration abides in the second jhàna, ... re ... . in the third jhàna, ...
re ... . in the fourth jhàna. He reflects, I'm a gainer of the forthjhàna, these
other bhikkhus are not the gainers of the forth jhàna. On account of his forth
jhàna he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the
unworthy one. The worthy one reflects. The Blessed One has said, we should not
cling to even the forth jhàna. Whatever we imagine it turns to be otherwise.
Giving the first preference to not clinging, he does not praise himself or
disparage others, on account of the forth jhàna. Bhikkhus this is a feature of
the worthy one
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, overcomingall perceptions of matter, all
perceptions of anger and not attending to the varied perceptions, with space is
boundless abides in the sphere of space. He reflects, I'm a gainer of the sphere
of space, these other bhikkhus are not the gainers of the sphere of space. On
account of his birth in the sphere of space he praises himself and disparages
others. This is a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects. The
Blessed One has said, we should not cling to even the sphere of space. Whatever
we imagine it turns to be otherwise. Giving the first preference to not
clinging, he does not praise himself or disparage others, on account of the
birth in the sphere of space. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one
.
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, overcomingall the sphere of space, with
consciousness is boundless, attains to the sphere of consciousness. He reflects,
I'm a gainer in the sphere of consciousness, these other bhikkhus are not the
gainers in the sphere of consciousness. On account of his birth in the sphere of
consciousness he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the
unworthy one. The worthy one reflects. The Blessed One has said, we should not
cling to even the sphere of consciousness. Whatever we imagine it turns to be
otherwise. Giving the first preference to not clinging, he does not praise
himself or disparage others, on account of the birth in the sphere of
consciousness. Bhikkhus this is a feature of the worthy one.
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, overcomingall the sphere of consciousness,
with there is nothing attains to the sphere of nothingness. He reflects, I'm a
gainer in the sphere of nothingness, these other bhikkhus are not the gainers in
the sphere of nothingness. On account of his birth in the sphere of nothingness
he praises himself and disparages others. This is a feature of the unworthy one.
The worthy one reflects. The Blessed One has said, we should not cling to even
the sphere of nothingness. Whatever we imagine it turns to be otherwise. Giving
the first preference to not clinging, he does not praise himself or disparage
others, on account of the birth in the sphere of nothingness. Bhikkhus this is a
feature of the worthy one
.
Again, bhikkhus, the unworthy one, overcomingall the sphere of nothingness,
attains to neither perception nor non perception. He reflects, I'm a gainer of
neither perception nor non perception, these other bhikkhus are not the gainers
of neither perception nor non perception. On account of his birth in neither
perception nor non perception he praises himself and disparages others. This is
a feature of the unworthy one. The worthy one reflects. The Blessed One has
said, we should not cling to even neither perception nor non perception.
Whatever we imagine it turns to be otherwise. Giving the first preference to not
clinging, he does not praise himself or disparage others, on account of the
birth in neither perception nor non perception. Bhikkhus this is a feature of
the worthy one
Again the worthy one overcoming all neither perceptions nor non perceptions,
attains the cessation of perceptions and feelings. Seeing this with wisdom his
desires too get destroyed. Here the bhikkhu does not imagine anything, to go
anywhere, for any reason.
The Blessed One said thus and those bhikkhu delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.