4: The Book of the Fours
202. Devoid of Faith
- fdg sc © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, I will teach you about the bad person and the person inferior to the bad person; about the good person and the person superior to the good person. Listen and attend closely; I will speak." "Yes, Bhante," those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: |
2(1) "And who, bhikkhus, is the bad person? Here, someone is devoid of faith, morally shameless, morally reckless, deficient in learning, lazy, muddle-minded, and unwise. This is called the bad person. |
3(2) "And who is the person inferior to the bad person? Here, someone is himself devoid of faith and encourages others to be devoid of faith; he is himself morally shameless and encourages others to be morally shameless; he is himself morally reckless and encourages others to be morally reckless; he is himself deficient in learning and encourages others to be deficient in learning; he is himself lazy and encourages others in laziness; he is himself muddle-minded and encourages others in being muddle-minded; he is himself unwise and encourages others in lack of wisdom. This is called the person inferior to the bad person. |
4(3) "And who is the good person? Here, someone is endowed with faith, has a sense of moral shame and moral dread, and is learned, energetic, mindful, and wise. This is called the good person. |
5(4) "And who is the person superior to the good person? Here, someone is himself accomplished in faith and encourages others to be accomplished in faith; he himself has a sense of moral shame and encourages others in moral shame; he himself has moral dread and encourages others in moral dread; he is himself learned and encourages others in learning; he is himself energetic and encourages others to arouse energy; he is himself mindful and encourages others to establish mindfulness; he is himself wise and encourages others to be accomplished in wisdom. This is called the person superior to the good person." |