---
title: "Numbered Discourses: The Fours · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Catukkanipāta"
author: "The Buddha"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 27 of 32
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-4/27/
cite: "The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Numbered Discourses: The Fours · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Catukkanipāta, section 27. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-4/27/"
---

# Numbered Discourses: The Fours · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Catukkanipāta

*The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato*

Teachings grouped in fours: four kinds of persons, four right efforts, four ways of practice.

> Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

> English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines.

## 27. Bad Conduct · AN 4.221–4.230

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-4/27/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-4/27/#p-N

[¶0] AN 4.221 · Verbal Conduct

> Pali: AN 4.221 · Duccaritasutta

[¶1] “Mendicants, there are these four kinds of bad conduct by way of speech. What four? Speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. These are the four kinds of bad conduct by way of speech.

> Pali: “Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, vacīduccaritāni. Katamāni cattāri? Musāvādo, pisuṇā vācā, pharusā vācā, samphappalāpo— Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri vacīduccaritāni.

[¶2] There are these four kinds of good conduct by way of speech. What four? Speech that’s true, harmonious, gentle, and thoughtful. These are the four kinds of good conduct by way of speech.”

> Pali: Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, vacīsucaritāni. Katamāni cattāri? Saccavācā, apisuṇā vācā, saṇhā vācā, mantavācā— Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri vacīsucaritānī”ti.

[¶3] > Pali: Paṭhamaṁ.

[¶4] AN 4.222 · View

> Pali: AN 4.222 · Diṭṭhisutta

[¶5] “When a foolish, incompetent untrue person has four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness. What four? Bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and wrong view. When a foolish, incompetent untrue person possesses these four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

> Pali: “Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Kāyaduccaritena, vacīduccaritena, manoduccaritena, micchādiṭṭhiyā— imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

[¶6] When an astute, competent true person has four qualities they keep themselves healthy and whole. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit. What four? Good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and right view. When an astute, competent true person possesses these four qualities they keep themselves healthy and whole. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.”

> Pali: Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Kāyasucaritena, vacīsucaritena, manosucaritena, sammādiṭṭhiyā— imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

[¶7] > Pali: Dutiyaṁ.

[¶8] AN 4.223 · Ungrateful

> Pali: AN 4.223 · Akataññutāsutta

[¶9] “When a foolish, incompetent untrue person has four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness. What four? Bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and being ungrateful and thankless. An astute person … brims with much merit. … Good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and being grateful and thankful. …”

> Pali: “Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Kāyaduccaritena, vacīduccaritena, manoduccaritena, akataññutā akataveditā— imehi …pe… kāyasucaritena, vacīsucaritena, manosucaritena kataññutākataveditā …pe….

[¶10] > Pali: Tatiyaṁ.

[¶11] AN 4.224 · Killing Living Creatures

> Pali: AN 4.224 · Pāṇātipātīsutta

[¶12] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, and lie. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or lie. …”

> Pali: …pe… Pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti …pe… pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti …pe….

[¶13] > Pali: Catutthaṁ.

[¶14] AN 4.225 · Path (1st)

> Pali: AN 4.225 · Paṭhamamaggasutta

[¶15] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, wrong action. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … right view, right purpose, right speech, right action. …”

> Pali: …pe… Micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, micchāsaṅkappo hoti, micchāvāco hoti, micchākammanto hoti …pe… sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, sammāsaṅkappo hoti, sammāvāco hoti, sammākammanto hoti …pe….

[¶16] > Pali: Pañcamaṁ.

[¶17] AN 4.226 · Path (2nd)

> Pali: AN 4.226 · Dutiyamaggasutta

[¶18] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. …”

> Pali: …pe… Micchāājīvo hoti, micchāvāyāmo hoti, micchāsati hoti, micchāsamādhi hoti …pe… sammāājīvo hoti, sammāvāyāmo hoti, sammāsati hoti, sammāsamādhi hoti …pe….

[¶19] > Pali: Chaṭṭhaṁ.

[¶20] AN 4.227 · Kinds of Expression (1st)

> Pali: AN 4.227 · Paṭhamavohārapathasutta

[¶21] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They say they’ve seen, heard, thought, or known something, but they haven’t. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They say they haven’t seen, heard, thought, or known something, and they haven’t. …”

> Pali: …pe… Adiṭṭhe diṭṭhavādī hoti, asute sutavādī hoti, amute mutavādī hoti, aviññāte viññātavādī hoti …pe… adiṭṭhe adiṭṭhavādī hoti, asute asutavādī hoti, amute amutavādī hoti, aviññāte aviññātavādī hoti …pe…. Sattamaṁ.

[¶22] AN 4.228 · Kinds of Expression (2nd)

> Pali: AN 4.228 · Dutiyavohārapathasutta

[¶23] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They say they haven’t seen, heard, thought, or known something, but they have. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They say they’ve seen, heard, thought, or known something, and they have. …”

> Pali: …pe… Diṭṭhe adiṭṭhavādī hoti, sute asutavādī hoti, mute amutavādī hoti, viññāte aviññātavādī hoti …pe… diṭṭhe diṭṭhavādī hoti, sute sutavādī hoti, mute mutavādī hoti, viññāte viññātavādī hoti …pe….

[¶24] > Pali: Aṭṭhamaṁ.

[¶25] AN 4.229 · Lack of Conscience

> Pali: AN 4.229 · Ahirikasutta

[¶26] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They’re faithless, unethical, shameless, and imprudent. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They’re faithful, ethical, conscientious, and prudent. …”

> Pali: …pe… Assaddho hoti, dussīlo hoti, ahiriko hoti, anottappī hoti …pe… saddho hoti, sīlavā hoti, hirimā hoti, ottappī hoti …pe….

[¶27] > Pali: Navamaṁ.

[¶28] AN 4.230 · Witless

> Pali: AN 4.230 · Duppaññasutta

[¶29] “A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They’re faithless, unethical, lazy, and witless. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They’re faithful, ethical, energetic, and wise. When an astute, competent true person possesses these four qualities they keep themselves healthy and whole. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.”

> Pali: …pe… Assaddho hoti, dussīlo hoti, kusīto hoti, duppañño hoti …pe… saddho hoti, sīlavā hoti, āraddhavīriyo hoti, paññavā hoti— imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

[¶30] > Pali: Dasamaṁ.