1Then the wanderer Potaliya approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had exchanged greetings and cordial talk, the wanderer Potaliya sat down to one side, and the Blessed One then said to him:

2"Potaliya, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four? (1) Here, some person speaks dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, and the dispraise is accurate, truthful, and timely; but he does not speak praise of someone who deserves praise, though the praise would be accurate, truthful, and timely. (2) Some other person speaks praise of someone who deserves praise, and the praise is accurate, truthful, and timely; but he does not speak dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, though the dispraise would be accurate, truthful, and timely. (3) Still another person does not speak dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, though the dispraise would be accurate, truthful, and timely; and he does not speak praise of someone who deserves praise, though the praise would be accurate, truthful, and timely. (4) And still another person speaks dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, and the dispraise is accurate, truthful, and timely; and he also speaks praise of someone who deserves praise, and the praise is accurate, truthful, and timely. These are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Now, Potaliya, which among these four kinds of persons seems to you the most excellent and sublime?"

---

3"There are, Master Gotama, those four kinds of persons found existing in the world. [n.790] He repeats all four types, as does the Buddha below. I have omitted the repetition. Of those four, the one that seems to me the most excellent and sublime is the one who does not speak dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, though the dispraise would be accurate, truthful, and timely; and who does not speak praise of someone who deserves praise, though the praise would be accurate, truthful, and timely. For what reason? Because what excels, Master Gotama, is equanimity."

4"There are, Potaliya, those four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Of those four, the one that is the most excellent and sublime is the one who speaks dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, and the dispraise is accurate, truthful, and timely; and who also speaks praise of someone who deserves praise, and the praise is accurate, truthful, and timely. For what reason? Because what excels, Potaliya, is knowledge of the proper time to speak in any particular case." [n.791] Abhikkantā h’esā potaliya yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā. Mp: "It is the nature of the wise, when they have known it is the proper time, to speak dispraise of one who deserves dispraise and to speak praise of one who deserves praise."

---

5"There are, Master Gotama, those four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Of those four, the one that seems to me the most excellent and sublime is the one who speaks dispraise of someone who deserves dispraise, and the dispraise is accurate, truthful, and timely; and who also speaks praise of someone who deserves praise, and the praise is accurate, truthful, and timely. For what reason? Because what excels, Master Gotama, is knowledge of the proper time to speak in any particular case.

6"Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. I now go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."

1Atha kho potaliyo paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho potaliyaṁ paribbājakaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ katamo te puggalo khamati abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro cā"ti?

---

3"Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ upekkhā"ti.

4"Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro … pe … ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, potaliya, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā"ti.

---

5"Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro … pe … ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā.

6Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

---

Dasamaṁ.
Asuravaggo pañcamo.

7Asuro tayo samādhī,
chavālātena pañcamaṁ;
Rāgo nisanti attahitaṁ,
sikkhā potaliyena cāti.

Dutiyo paṇṇāsako samatto.