Andhasutta — Reader

Blind

Andhasutta

“These three individuals are found in the world. What three? The blind, the one-eyed, and the two-eyed. Who is the blind individual?

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Andho, ekacakkhu, dvicakkhu. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo andho?

It’s someone who doesn’t have the kind of vision that’s needed to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. Nor do they have the kind of vision that’s needed to know the difference between qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya.

This is called a blind individual. Who is the individual with one eye? It’s someone who has the kind of vision that’s needed to acquire more wealth and to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. But they don’t have the kind of vision that’s needed to know the difference between qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo andho. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpaṁ panassa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya.

This is called a one-eyed individual. Who is the individual with two eyes? It’s someone who has the kind of vision that’s needed to acquire more wealth and to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. And they have the kind of vision that’s needed to know the difference between skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, or qualities on the side of dark and bright.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya;

This is called a two-eyed individual. These are the three individuals found in the world. Neither suitable wealth,

sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti. Na ceva bhogā tathārūpā,

nor merit do they make. They hold a losing hand on both counts, those who are blind, with ruined eyes. And now the one-eyed

na ca puññāni kubbati; Ubhayattha kaliggāho, andhassa hatacakkhuno. Athāparāyaṁ akkhāto,

individual is explained. By methods good and bad, that devious person seeks wealth. Both by fraudulent, thieving deeds,

Ekacakkhu ca puggalo; Dhammādhammena saṭhoso, Bhogāni pariyesati. Theyyena kūṭakammena,

and also by lies, the young man’s skilled at piling up money, and enjoying sensual pleasures. From here they go to hell—

musāvādena cūbhayaṁ; Kusalo hoti saṅghātuṁ, kāmabhogī ca mānavo; Ito so nirayaṁ gantvā,

the one-eyed person is ruined. And now the two-eyed is explained, the best individual. Their wealth is earned legitimately,

ekacakkhu vihaññati. Dvicakkhu pana akkhāto, seṭṭho purisapuggalo; Dhammaladdhehi bhogehi,

money acquired by their own hard work. They give with best of intentions, that peaceful-hearted man. They go to a good place,

uṭṭhānādhigataṁ dhanaṁ. Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo, abyaggamānaso naro; Upeti bhaddakaṁ ṭhānaṁ,

where there is no sorrow. The blind and the one-eyed, you should avoid from afar. But you should keep the two-eyed close,

yattha gantvā na socati. Andhañca ekacakkhuñca, ārakā parivajjaye; Dvicakkhuṁ pana sevetha,

the best individual.”

seṭṭhaṁ purisapuggalan”ti. Navamaṁ.