Possessing Four Qualities, the Foolish...

The Buddha's Words

Paṭhamakhatasutta AN 4.3 https://suttacentral.net/an4.3

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“Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities, the foolish, incompetent, bad person maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise; and he generates much demerit. What four?

(1) “Without investigating and scrutinizing, he speaks praise of one who deserves dispraise.

(2) Without investigating and scrutinizing, he speaks dispraise of one who deserves praise.

(3) Without investigating and scrutinizing, he believes a matter that merits suspicion.

(4) Without investigating and scrutinizing, he is suspicious about a matter that merits belief.

Possessing these four qualities, the foolish, incompetent, bad person maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise; and he generates much demerit.

“Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities, the wise, competent, good person preserves himself unmaimed and uninjured; he is blameless and beyond reproach by the wise; and he generates much merit. What four?

(1) “Having investigated and scrutinized, he speaks dispraise of one who deserves dispraise. (2) Having investigated and scrutinized, he speaks praise of one who deserves praise. (3) Having investigated and scrutinized, he is suspicious about a matter that merits suspicion. (4) Having investigated and scrutinized, he believes a matter that merits belief. Possessing these four qualities, the wise, competent, good person preserves himself unmaimed and uninjured; he is blameless and beyond reproach by the wise; and he generates much merit.”

He who praises one deserving blame,

or blames one deserving praise,

casts with his mouth an unlucky throw

by which he finds no happiness.

Slight is the unlucky throw at dice

that results in the loss of one’s wealth,

the loss of all, oneself included;

much worse is this unlucky throw

of harboring hate against the fortunate ones.

For a hundred thousand and thirty-six

nirabbudas, plus five abbudas,

the slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,

having defamed them with evil speech and mind.