Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
II: Bala Vagga

The Book of the Fives

II: The Powers

Sutta 20

Attahita-Parahita Suttaṃ

For Whose Good? (d)

 

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[14] [10]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, possessed of five things
a monk is both set on his own good,
and the good of another.

Of what five?

Herein, monks, a monk is perfect in virtue himself,
and he strives to perfect virtue in another;
he is perfect in concentration himself,
and he strives to perfect concentration in another;
his own release is perfected,
and he strives that another's should be;
his own vision and knowledge of release are perfected,
and he strives that another's should be.

Monks, possessed of these five things
a monk is both set on his own good,
and the good of another.¹

 

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¹ The persons in these four suttas are called by the Comy. the virtuous, the wicked but learned, the unlearned and wicked, the learned arahant. The general form recurs elsewhere - e.g., A. ii, 95 ff.; iv, 220; D. iii, 233.