“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?
Discourse on Quick To Attend To
attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
parahitāya paṭipanno no attahitāya,
nevattahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
attahitāya ceva paṭipanno parahitāya ca.
Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
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.
1. One who is practicing for one’s own benefit, not for the benefit of others,
2. One who is practicing for the benefit of others, not for one’s own benefit,
3. One who is practicing neither for one’s own benefit nor for the benefit of others,
4. One who is practicing both for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of others.
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, bhikkhus, does a person practice for one’s own benefit, but not for the benefit of others? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is quick to attend to skillful mental qualities, who remembers learned teachings, who investigates the implications of teachings, practicing the teachings properly; yet, he is not articulate in beneficial speech nor skilled in friendly and clear communication, and does not show, encourage, inspire, or applaud his fellow spiritual companions. Thus, bhikkhus, a person practices for one’s own benefit, not for the benefit of 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, bhikkhus, does a person practice for the benefit of others, not for one’s own benefit? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is not quick to attend to skillful mental qualities, nor does he remember learned teachings, nor does he investigate the implications of teachings, nor practices the teachings properly; but he is articulate in beneficial speech, skilled in friendly and clear communication, and shows, encourages, inspires, and applauds his fellow spiritual companions. Thus, bhikkhus, a person practices for the benefit of others, not for one’s own benefit.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo khippanisantī ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhārakajātiko hoti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhī hoti 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 attahitāya ceva paṭipanno hoti parahitāya ca.
And how, bhikkhus, does a person practice neither for one’s own benefit nor for the benefit of others? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is neither quick to attend to skillful mental qualities, nor remembers learned teachings, nor investigates the implications of teachings, nor practices the teachings properly; nor is he articulate in beneficial speech, skilled in friendly and clear communication, and does not show, encourage, inspire, or applaud his spiritual companions. Thus, bhikkhus, a person practices neither for one’s own benefit nor for the benefit of others.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
And how, bhikkhus, does a person practice both for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of others? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is quick to attend to skillful mental qualities, remembers learned teachings, investigates the implications of teachings, practicing the teachings properly; and he is articulate in beneficial speech, skilled in friendly and clear communication, and shows, encourages, inspires, and applauds his fellow spiritual companions. Thus, bhikkhus, a person practices both for one’s own benefit and for the benefit of others.
These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.