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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.91

  • Numbered Discourses 4.91Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.91
  • 10. Titans10. Asuravagga

TitansAsurasutta

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four?Katame cattāro?

  1. A titan surrounded by titans,Asuro asuraparivāro,
  2. a titan surrounded by gods,asuro devaparivāro,
  3. a god surrounded by titans, anddevo asuraparivāro,
  4. a god surrounded by gods.devo devaparivāro.

And how is an individual a titan surrounded by titans?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo asuro hoti asuraparivāro? It’s when an individual is unethical, of bad character, and their followers are the same.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo, parisāpissa hoti dussīlā pāpadhammā. That’s how an individual is a titan surrounded by titans.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo asuro hoti asuraparivāro.

And how is an individual a titan surrounded by gods?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo asuro hoti devaparivāro? It’s when an individual is unethical, of bad character, but their followers are ethical, of good character.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo, parisā ca khvassa hoti sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā. That’s how an individual is a titan surrounded by gods.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo asuro hoti devaparivāro.

And how is an individual a god surrounded by titans?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo devo hoti asuraparivāro? It’s when an individual is ethical, of good character, but their followers are unethical, of bad character.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, parisā ca khvassa hoti dussīlā pāpadhammā. That’s how an individual is a god surrounded by titans.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo devo hoti asuraparivāro.

And how is an individual a god surrounded by gods?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo devo hoti devaparivāro? It’s when an individual is ethical, of good character, and their followers are the same.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, parisāpissa hoti sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā. That’s how an individual is a god surrounded by gods.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo devo hoti, devaparivāro.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

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

  1. AN 9.39 The War Between the Gods and the Titans 0.53near 0.1Numbered Discourses 9.39 4. The Great Chapter The War Between the Gods and the Titans “Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. In that battle the titans won and the gods lost. D…
  2. AN 4.98 To Benefit Oneself 0.50near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.98 10. Titans To Benefit Oneself “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others; one who practices to benefit others,…