The Buddha describes three types of people - the blind, the one-eyed, and the two-eyed.

AN 3.29  Andha sutta - Blind

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Andho, ekacakkhu, dvicakkhu.

“There are, bhikkhus, these three kinds of persons who are found existing in the world. What three? The blind, the one-eyed, and the two-eyed.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo andho? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo andho.

And who, bhikkhus, is the blind person? Here, a certain individual does not possess the kind of vision by which they might acquire wealth not obtained yet or make acquired wealth increase. Nor do they have the kind of vision by which they could understand the |wholesome and unwholesome::what is skillful and unskillful [kusalākusala]| qualities, |blameworthy and blameless::what is objectionable and irreproachable [sāvajjānavajja]| qualities, |inferior and superior::what is coarse and refined [hīnappaṇīta]| qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This, bhikkhus, is called the blind person.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpaṁ panassa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu.

And who, bhikkhus, is the one-eyed person? Here, bhikkhus, a certain individual has the kind of vision by which they might acquire wealth not obtained yet or make acquired wealth increase; but they do not have the kind of vision by which they could understand the wholesome and unwholesome qualities, blameworthy and blameless qualities, inferior and superior qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This, bhikkhus, is called the one-eyed person.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya, adhigataṁ bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya; sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu.

And who, bhikkhus, is the two-eyed person? Here, bhikkhus, a certain individual possesses the kind of vision by which they could acquire wealth not yet obtained, or make acquired wealth increase; and they also possess the kind of vision by which they could understand the wholesome and unwholesome qualities, blameworthy and blameless qualities, inferior and superior qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This, bhikkhus, is called the two-eyed person.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons who are found existing in the world.

Na ceva bhogā tathārūpā,
na ca puññāni kubbati;
Ubhayattha kaliggāho,
andhassa hatacakkhuno.

He has no suitable wealth,
nor does he perform meritorious deeds;
Failing in both respects,
he is like a blind person, with destroyed vision.

Athāparāyaṁ akkhāto,
Ekacakkhu ca puggalo;
Dhammādhammena saṭhoso,
Bhogāni pariyesati.

Then another is declared,
The person who is one-eyed;
By right and wrong [means], this |deceitful::dishonest, cunning [saṭha]| one,
seeks out wealth.

Theyyena kūṭakammena,
musāvādena cūbhayaṁ;
Kusalo hoti saṅghātuṁ,
kāmabhogī ca mānavo;
Ito so nirayaṁ gantvā,
ekacakkhu vihaññati.

By theft and |fraudulence::crookedness, corruption [kūṭakamma]|,
as well as by falsehood;
He is skilled in accumulating,
that man |who indulges in sensual pleasures::who enjoys sensual gratification [kāmabhogī]|;
From here, having gone to |hell::a place of intense suffering, lit. no good fortune [niraya]|,
the one-eyed person suffers anguish.

Dvicakkhu pana akkhāto,
seṭṭho purisapuggalo;
Dhammaladdhehi bhogehi,
uṭṭhānādhigataṁ dhanaṁ.

However, the two-eyed is declared,
as the |foremost::best, most important [seṭṭha]| person;
With wealth legitimately acquired,
riches |acquired by effort::obtained by hard work [uṭṭhānādhigata]|.

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,
abyaggamānaso naro;
Upeti bhaddakaṁ ṭhānaṁ,
yattha gantvā na socati.

The person who gives with the best intention,
|with an undistracted mind::mentally unscattered [abyaggamānasa]|;
He goes to a good place,
where, having gone, he does not |sorrow::grieve [socati]|.

Andhañca ekacakkhuñca,
ārakā parivajjaye;
Dvicakkhuṁ pana sevetha,
seṭṭhaṁ purisapuggalan”ti.

The blind and the one-eyed,
one should completely avoid;
But one should associate with the two-eyed,
the foremost person.”

Topics & Qualities:

Jhana

Jhana

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated, unlike narrow or disconnected concentration that shuts out the senses and feeds delusion.

Also known as: absorption, concentration, collectedness, mental composure, stability of mind, undistracted awareness
Pāli: jhāna, samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Sorrow-free

Sorrow-free

A serene balance of mind that is untroubled by loss or change. It allows the mind’s natural clarity to surface when freed from clinging.

Also known as: free from sadness, without grief
Pāli: asoka, visoka
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy

A counterfeit display of virtue or attainment—concealing faults and projecting qualities one lacks—often to secure material support, status, or admiration; it thrives on craving for recognition and collapses with honesty, modesty, and accountability.

Also known as: pretense, insincerity, deceitfulness, putting on a false front, fraudulent
Pāli: māyāvī
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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: passion for sensual pleasures, lust, craving for pleasure, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Sorrow

Sorrow

Grief or sadness that follows loss or disappointment, dimming the mind’s natural brightness. It clouds clear perception.

Also known as: grief
Pāli: soka, socati
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of poor health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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Last updated on December 13, 2025