Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
IV. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sevens

Chapter IV: Devas

Sutta 34

Dutiya Sovacassatā Suttaṃ

The Same, or Fair Speech

[17]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

Monks, this night a deva,
whose surpassing loveliness
lit up almost the whole of Jeta Grove,
visited,
saluted and stood at one side;
and so standing,
the deva spoke to me and said:

"Lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.

What seven?

Reverence for the Master,
Dhamma,
Order,
the training,
concentration;
fair speech
and good friendship'.

Indeed, lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.'

Thus spake that deva, Monks,
and I approved;
and seeing this,
the deva saluted
and passed out on the right.

3. And when he had thus spoken,
the venerable Sāriputta said to the Exalted One:

4. 'This speech, lord, of the Exalted One,
so tersely put,
I [18] know its scope¹ in full.

■

Lord, suppose a monk himself reverence the Master
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.^ed1

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Suppose he reverence Dhamma
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

Suppose he reverence the Order
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

Suppose he reverence the training
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

Suppose he reverence concentration
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

Suppose his speech be fair
and praise such fair speech;
other monks who lack that fair speech,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

Suppose he be be a good friend
and praises being a good friend;
other monks who lack being a good friend,
he incites thereto;
those who are good friends,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

■

It is thus that I know the scope of the Exalted One's terse speech.'

'Well done, well done, Sāriputta, well thou knowest the scope of my words.

■

Suppose, Sāriputta, a monk himself reverence the Master
and praise such reverence;
other monks who lack that reverence,
he incites thereto;
those who possess it,
he praises truly,
justly,
timely.

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