Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
XV. Maṅgala Vagga

III. The Book of the Threes

XV. Good Auspices

Sutta 145

Paṭhama Khata Suttaṃ

Lifeless (a)

[271]

THUS HAVE I HEARD

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks!"

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Monks, possessed of three qualities
the foolish,
sinful,
ignorant man
fares¹ about, a lifeless, uprooted thing,
is blameworthy,
is censured by the intelligent,
and begets much demerit.

What three qualities?

Foul action of body,
foul action of speech,
foul action of mind.

Monks, possessed of these three qualities
the foolish,
sinful,
ignorant man
fares about, a lifeless, uprooted thing,
is blameworthy,
is censured by the intelligent,
and begets much demerit.

Monks, possessed of three qualities
the wise,
moral,
intelligent man
fares about not lifeless, not rooted up.

He is blameless,
praised by the intelligent
and begets much merit.

What are the three?

Righteous action of body,
righteous action of speech,
righteous action of mind.

Monks, possessed of these three qualities
the wise,
moral,
intelligent man
fares about not lifeless, not rooted up.

He is blameless,
praised by the intelligent
and begets much merit."