Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
I. Bāla Vagga

III. The Book of the Threes

I. The Fool

Sutta 3

Cintī Suttaṃ

The Fool (3)

 

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[88]

"Monks, there are these three characteristics,
features,
stamps¹ of a fool.

What three?

Herein, monks, the fool
thinks thoughts,
speaks words,
does deeds that are wrong.

Were it not so,
how would the wise know:

'This is a fool, my good Sir!

This is a depraved man!'?

But inasmuch as the fool
thinks thoughts,
speaks words,
does deeds that are wrong,
therefore the wise know:

'My good sir, this is a fool!

This is a depraved man!'

These are the three characteristics,
features,
stamps of a fool.

 

§

 

Monks, there are these three characteristics,
features,
stamps of a wise man.

What three?

Herein, monks, the wise man
thinks thoughts,
speaks words,
does deeds
that are right.

Were it not so,
how would the wise know:

'This is a wise man, my good sir!

This is a good man!'?

But inasmuch as the wise man
thinks thoughts,
speaks words,
does deeds
that are right,
therefore the wise know:

'My good sir, this is a wise man!

This is a good man!'

These are the three characteristics,
features,
stamps of a wise man."

 

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¹ Padāni