Then the wanderer Potaliya went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and the Buddha said to him: “Potaliya, these four individuals are found in the world.
What four? One individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. But they don’t praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. Another individual praises those deserving of praise … But they don’t criticize those deserving of criticism …
Another individual doesn’t praise those deserving of praise … Nor do they criticize those deserving of criticism … Another individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. And they praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly.
“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who neither praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly; nor criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I believe to be the finest.
PL
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.
EN
Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, equanimity is the best.”
“Potaliya, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I consider to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Potaliya, understanding of time and context is the best.”
“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly.
That is the individual I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, understanding of time and context is the best. Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent!
PL
ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
EN
As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.
Then the wanderer Potaliya went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and the Buddha said to him: “Potaliya, these four individuals are found in the world.
What four? One individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. But they don’t praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. Another individual praises those deserving of praise … But they don’t criticize those deserving of criticism …
Another individual doesn’t praise those deserving of praise … Nor do they criticize those deserving of criticism … Another individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. And they praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly.
“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who neither praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly; nor criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I believe to be the finest.
PL
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.
EN
Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, equanimity is the best.”
“Potaliya, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I consider to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Potaliya, understanding of time and context is the best.”
“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly.
That is the individual I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, understanding of time and context is the best. Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent!
PL
ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
EN
As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.
Sutraya