Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Numbered Discourses (Aṅguttara)
AN 4.97
Quick-witted · Khippanisantisutta
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“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others; one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves; one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; and one who practices to benefit both themselves and others.
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya, parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya, nevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya, attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.
And how does an individual practice to benefit themselves, but not others? It’s when an individual is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching. But they’re not a good speaker and do not enunciate well. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. That’s how an individual practices to benefit themselves, but not others.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
And how does an individual practice to benefit others, but not themselves? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … But they’re a good speaker. … That’s how an individual practices to benefit others, but not themselves.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no attahitāya.
And how does an individual practice to benefit neither themselves nor others? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … Nor are they a good speaker. … That’s how an individual practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantī hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāya.
And how does an individual practice to benefit both themselves and others? It’s when an individual is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … And they’re a good speaker. … That’s how an individual practices to benefit both themselves and others. These are the four individuals found in the world.”
