Sappurisasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 113

A True Person · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
“Mendicants!”“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Venerable sir,”“Bhadante”ti theyte the mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

and the quality of a true person“sappurisadhammañca to youvo, mendicantsbhikkhave, I will teachdesessāmi and the quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammañca.
thatTaṁ listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”ti indeedkho theyte mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

“Mendicants, I will teach you the qualities of a true person and the qualities of an untrue person. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

what“Katamo andca, monksbhikkhave, quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, untrue personasappuriso from an eminent familyuccākulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti.
heSo thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
I‘ahaṁ surely I amkhomhi from an eminent familyuccākulā gone forthpabbajito, theseime but otherspanaññe monksbhikkhū notna from an eminent familyuccākulā gone forthpabbajitā’ti.
heSo by thattāya eminence of familyuccākulīnatāya glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, othersparaṁ puts downvambheti.
thisAyaṁ, monksbhikkhave, quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo.
true personSappuriso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
not‘na indeedkho because of eminence of familyuccākulīnatāya thoughts of greedlobhadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti, thoughts of hatedosadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti, thoughts of delusionmohadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti.
notNo even ifcepi from an eminent familyuccākulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti;
heso andca ishoti practicing in line with the teachingdhammānudhammappaṭipanno practicing properlysāmīcippaṭipanno living in line with the teachinganudhammacārī, heso theretattha worthy of honorpujjo, heso theretattha worthy of praisepāsaṁso’ti.
heSo just the practicepaṭipadaṁyeva insideantaraṁ having madekaritvā by thattāya eminence of familyuccākulīnatāya does not glorify himselfnevattānukkaṁseti notna othersparaṁ puts downvambheti.
thisAyaṁ, monksbhikkhave, quality of a true personsappurisadhammo.

“And what is a quality of an untrue person? Take an untrue person who has gone forth from an eminent family. They reflect: ‘I have gone forth from an eminent family, unlike these other mendicants.’ And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This is a quality of an untrue person. A true person reflects: ‘It’s not because of one’s eminent family that thoughts of greed, hate, or delusion come to an end. Even if someone has not gone forth from an eminent family, if they practice in line with the teaching, practice properly, and live in line with the teaching, they are worthy of honor and praise for that.’ Keeping the practice to themselves, they don’t glorify themselves and put others down on account of their eminent family. This is a quality of a true person.

againPuna furthermorecaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, an untrue personasappuriso from a great familymahākulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti ……pe…
from a wealthy familymahābhogakulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti ……pe…
from an exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogakulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti.
heSo thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
I‘ahaṁ indeed amkhomhi from an exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogakulā gone forthpabbajito, theseime but otherpanaññe mendicantsbhikkhū notna from an exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogakulā gone forthpabbajitā’ti.
heSo by thattāya by exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogatāya glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, othersparaṁ puts downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, a quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo.
a true personSappuriso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
not‘na indeedkho by exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogatāya thoughts of greedlobhadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti, thoughts of hatedosadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti, thoughts of delusionmohadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti.
notNo even ifcepi from an exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogakulā gone forthpabbajito ishoti;
heso andca ishoti practicing in line with the teachingdhammānudhammappaṭipanno practicing properlysāmīcippaṭipanno living in line with the teachinganudhammacārī, heso theretattha worthy of honorpujjo, heso theretattha worthy of praisepāsaṁso’ti.
heSo just the practicepaṭipadaṁyeva insideantaraṁ having madekaritvā by thattāya by exceptionally wealthy familyuḷārabhogatāya does not glorify himselfnevattānukkaṁseti, notna othersparaṁ puts downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, a quality of a true personsappurisadhammo.

Furthermore, take an untrue person who has gone forth from a great family … from a wealthy family … from an exceptionally wealthy family. They reflect: ‘I have gone forth from an exceptionally wealthy family, unlike these other mendicants.’ And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This too is a quality of an untrue person. A true person reflects: ‘It’s not because of one’s exceptionally wealthy family that thoughts of greed, hate, or delusion come to an end. Even if someone has not gone forth from an exceptionally wealthy family, if they practice in line with the teaching, practice properly, and live in line with the teaching, they are worthy of honor and praise for that.’ Keeping the practice to themselves, they don’t glorify themselves and put others down on account of their exceptionally wealthy family. This too is a quality of a true person.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, an untrue personasappuriso well-knownñāto ishoti famousyasassī.
theySo thusiti they reflectpaṭisañcikkhati:
I‘ahaṁ I am indeedkhomhi well-knownñāto famousyasassī, theseime but otherpanaññe mendicantsbhikkhū obscureappaññātā insignificantappesakkhā’ti.
theySo on account of thattena by the fameñattena they glorify themselvesattānukkaṁseti, othersparaṁ they put downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, is a quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo.
a true personSappuriso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, thusiti they reflectpaṭisañcikkhati:
not‘na indeedkho because of one's fameñattena thoughts of greedlobhadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ they comegacchanti, thoughts of hatedosadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ they comegacchanti, thoughts of delusionmohadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ they comegacchanti.
even if notNo evencepi well-knownñāto ishoti famousyasassī;
theyso andca ishoti practicing in line with the teachingdhammānudhammappaṭipanno practicing properlysāmīcippaṭipanno living in line with the teachinganudhammacārī, theyso for thattattha worthy of honorpujjo, theyso for thattattha worthy of praisepāsaṁso’ti.
theySo the practice alonepaṭipadaṁyeva insideantaraṁ having madekaritvā on account of thattena by the fameñattena they do not glorify themselvesnevattānukkaṁseti, notna othersparaṁ they put downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, is a quality of a true personsappurisadhammo.

Furthermore, take an untrue person who is well-known and famous. They reflect: ‘I’m well-known and famous. These other mendicants are obscure and insignificant.’ And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This too is a quality of an untrue person. A true person reflects: ‘It’s not because of one’s fame that thoughts of greed, hate, or delusion come to an end. Even if someone is not well-known and famous, if they practice in line with the teaching, practice properly, and live in line with the teaching, they are worthy of honor and praise for that.’ Keeping the practice to themselves, they don’t glorify themselves and put others down on account of their fame. This too is a quality of a true person.

againPuna furthermorecaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, an untrue personasappuriso one who receiveslābhī ishoti robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sickcīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
heSo thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
I‘ahaṁ indeed I amkhomhi one who receiveslābhī robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sickcīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, theseime but these otherpanaññe monksbhikkhū notna receiverslābhino robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sickcīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan’ti.
heSo by thattena material thinglābhena glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, anotherparaṁ puts downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, a quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo.
a true personSappuriso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
not‘na indeedkho because of material thingslābhena thoughts of greedlobhadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti, thoughts of hatedosadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti, thoughts of delusionmohadhammā orvā to an endparikkhayaṁ comegacchanti.
ifNo even ifcepi one who receiveslābhī ishoti robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sickcīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ;
heso andca ishoti practicing in line with the teachingdhammānudhammappaṭipanno practicing properlysāmīcippaṭipanno living in line with the teachinganudhammacārī, heso theretattha worthy of honorpujjo, heso theretattha worthy of praisepāsaṁso’ti.
heSo keeping the practice to themselvespaṭipadaṁyeva to themselvesantaraṁ having madekaritvā by thattena material thinglābhena neither glorifies himselfnevattānukkaṁseti, notna anotherparaṁ puts downvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, a quality of a true personsappurisadhammo.

Furthermore, take an untrue person who receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. They reflect: ‘I receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick, unlike these other mendicants.’ And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This too is a quality of an untrue person. A true person reflects: ‘It’s not because of one’s material things that thoughts of greed, hate, or delusion come to an end. Even if someone doesn’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick, if they practice in line with the teaching, practice properly, and live in line with the teaching, they are worthy of honor and praise for that.’ Keeping the practice to themselves, they don’t glorify themselves and put others down on account of their material things. This too is a quality of a true person.

furthermorePuna and moreovercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, an untrue personasappuriso very learnedbahussuto ishoti.
heSo thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
I‘ahaṁ I am indeedkhomhi very learnedbahussuto, theseime but otherpanaññe monksbhikkhū notna very learnedbahussutā’ti.
heSo by thattena by great learningbāhusaccena exalts himselfattānukkaṁseti, anotherparaṁ disparagesvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, is the quality of an untrue personasappurisadhammo.
a true personSappuriso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
not‘na indeedkho by great learningbāhusaccena states of greedlobhadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti, states of hatreddosadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti, states of delusionmohadhammā orvā to destructionparikkhayaṁ gogacchanti.
if not evenNo even ifcepi very learnedbahussuto ishoti;
heso andca ishoti practicing in conformity with the Dhammadhammānudhammappaṭipanno practicing properlysāmīcippaṭipanno living in accordance with the Dhammaanudhammacārī, heso theretattha worthy of honorpujjo, heso theretattha worthy of praisepāsaṁso’ti.
heSo the very practicepaṭipadaṁyeva the distinctionantaraṁ having madekaritvā by thattena by great learningbāhusaccena neither exalts himselfnevattānukkaṁseti, notna anotherparaṁ disparagesvambheti.
this tooAyampi, monksbhikkhave, is the quality of a true personsappurisadhammo.

Furthermore, take an untrue person who is very learned …

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