Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXVI: Abhiññā Vagga

The Book of the Fours

Chapter XXVI: Higher Knowledge

Sutta 255

Kula Suttaṃ

Profit of the family

[254]

'Whatsoever families, monks,
having attained greatness of possessions,
fail to last long,
all of them do so because of these four reasons
or one or other of them.

What four?

They seek not for what is lost,
they repair not the decayed,
they eat and drink to excess,
they put in authority¹ a woman or a man that is immoral.

Whatsoever families, monks,
having attained greatness of possessions,
fail to last long,
all of them do so because of these four reasons
or one or other of them.

Whatsoever families, monks,
[having attained greatness of possessions]
do last long,
all of them do so because of these four reasons
or one or other of them.

What four?

They seek for what is lost,
repair the decayed,
eat and drink in moderation,
and put in authority a virtuous woman or man.

Whatsoever families, [monks,
having attained greatness of possessions]
do last long,
all of them do so because of these four reasons
or one or other of them.