• Numbered Discourses 4.97 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.97
  • 10. Titans 10. Asuravagga

Quick-witted Khippanisantisutta

ā€œMendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. ā€œCattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four? Katame cattāro?

  1. One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others; attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
  2. one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves; parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya,
  3. one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; and nevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
  4. one who practices to benefit both themselves and others. attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.

And how does an individual practice to benefit themselves, but not others? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no parahitāya? 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. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantÄ« ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānaƱca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānaƱca dhammānaṁ atthÅ«paparikkhÄ« hoti atthamaƱƱāya dhammamaƱƱāya, dhammānudhammappaį¹­ipanno hoti; 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. no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaį¹­į¹­hāya anelagalāya atthassa viƱƱāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārÄ«naṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit themselves, but not others. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no parahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit others, but not themselves? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no attahitāya? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantÄ« hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthÅ«paparikkhÄ« hoti, no ca atthamaƱƱāya dhammamaƱƱāya dhammānudhammappaį¹­ipanno hoti; But they’re a good speaker. … kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaį¹­į¹­hāya anelagalāya atthassa viƱƱāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārÄ«naṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit others, but not themselves. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo parahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no attahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit neither themselves nor others? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no parahitāya? It’s when an individual is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho khippanisantÄ« hoti kusalesu dhammesu, no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthÅ«paparikkhÄ« hoti, no ca atthamaƱƱāya dhammamaƱƱāya dhammānudhammappaį¹­ipanno hoti; Nor are they a good speaker. … no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaį¹­į¹­hāya anelagalāya atthassa viƱƱāpaniyā, no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārÄ«naṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit neither themselves nor others. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevattahitāya paį¹­ipanno hoti, no parahitāya.

And how does an individual practice to benefit both themselves and others? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paį¹­ipanno hoti parahitāya ca? It’s when an individual is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantÄ« ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānaƱca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānaƱca dhammānaṁ atthÅ«paparikkhÄ« hoti atthamaƱƱāya dhammamaƱƱāya, dhammānudhammappaį¹­ipanno hoti; And they’re a good speaker. … kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaį¹­į¹­hāya anelagalāya atthassa viƱƱāpaniyā, sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārÄ«naṁ. That’s how an individual practices to benefit both themselves and others. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paį¹­ipanno hoti parahitāya ca.

These are the four individuals found in the world.ā€ Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminā€ti.

Sattamaṁ.