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Numbered Discourses · AN 3.3

  • Numbered Discourses 3.3Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.3
  • 1. Fools1. Bālavagga

ThinkingCintīsutta

“There are these three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni. What three?Katamāni tīṇi? A fool thinks poorly, speaks poorly, and acts poorly.Idha, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca. If a fool didn’t think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then how would the astute know of them:No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca abhavissa dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’?‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti? But since a fool does think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then the astute do know of them:Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’.‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti. These are the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni.

There are these three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of an astute person.Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni. What three?Katamāni tīṇi? An astute person thinks well, speaks well, and acts well.Idha, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca. If an astute person didn’t think well, speak well, and act well, then how would the astute know of them:No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca abhavissa subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’?‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti? But since an astute person does think well, speak well, and act well, then the astute do know of them:Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’.‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti. These are the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of an astute person.Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni. So you should train …”Tasmātiha …pe….

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 3.4 Mistakes 0.78near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.4 1. Fools Mistakes “A fool is known by three things. What three? They don’t recognize when they’ve made a mistake. When they do recognize it they don’t deal with it properly. And when someone else…
  2. AN 3.2 Characteristics 0.76near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.2 1. Fools Characteristics “A fool is characterized by their deeds, and an astute person is characterized by their deeds, for wisdom shines in its traces. A fool is known by three things. What three…
  3. AN 3.6 Unskillful 0.75near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.6 1. Fools Unskillful “A fool is known by three things. What three? Unskillful deeds by way of body, speech, and mind. These are the three things by which a fool is known. An astute person is known…
  4. AN 3.5 Irrational 0.73near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.5 1. Fools Irrational “A fool is known by three things. What three? They ask a question irrationally. They answer a question irrationally. And when someone else answers a question rationally—with we…
  5. AN 3.7 Blameworthy 0.69near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.7 1. Fools Blameworthy “A fool is known by three things. What three? Blameworthy deeds by way of body, speech, and mind. … An astute person is known by blameless deeds by way of body, speech, and mi…