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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

5: The Book of the Fives

285. A Supervisor of Novices

(1) "Bhikkhus, one who possesses five qualities should not be appointed a supervisor of novices. What five? He enters upon a wrong course because of desire … he does not know which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. One who possesses these five qualities should not be appointed a supervisor of novices.

"Bhikkhus, one who possesses five qualities may be appointed a supervisor of novices. What five? He does not enter upon a wrong course because of desire … he knows which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. One who possesses these five qualities may be appointed a supervisor of novices."

(2) "Bhikkhus, one who possesses five qualities, if appointed a supervisor of novices, should not be sent. What five? He enters upon a wrong course because of desire … he does not know which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. One who possesses these five qualities, if appointed a supervisor of novices, should not be sent.

"Bhikkhus, one who possesses five qualities, if appointed a supervisor of novices, should be sent. What five? He does not enter upon a wrong course because of desire … he knows which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. One who possesses these five qualities, if appointed a supervisor of novices, should be sent."

(3) "Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities should be understood as foolish. What five? He enters upon a wrong course because of desire … he does not know which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities should be understood as foolish.

"Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities should be understood as wise. What five? He does not enter upon a wrong course because of desire … he knows which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities should be understood as wise."

(4) "Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition. What five? He enters upon a wrong course because of desire … he does not know which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition.

"Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities preserves himself unmaimed and uninjured. What five? He does not enter upon a wrong course because of desire … he knows which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities preserves himself unmaimed and uninjured."

(5) "Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities is deposited in hell as if brought there. What five? He enters upon a wrong course because of desire … he does not know which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities is deposited in hell as if brought there.

"Bhikkhus, a supervisor of novices who possesses five qualities is deposited in heaven as if brought there. What five? He does not enter upon a wrong course because of desire … he knows which novices have been supervised and which have not been supervised. A supervisor of novices who possesses these five qualities is deposited in heaven as if brought there."