Good Enough

Alaṁsutta

Good Enough

Alaṁsutta

EN
“Mendicants, a mendicant with six qualities is good enough for themselves and others. What six? A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
PL
“Chahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano alaṁ paresaṁ. Katamehi chahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
EN
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching. They’re a good speaker who enunciates well. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning. They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
PL
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā; sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
EN
A mendicant with these six qualities is good enough for themselves and others. A mendicant with five qualities is good enough for themselves and others. What five? A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
PL
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, chahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano alaṁ paresaṁ. Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano alaṁ paresaṁ. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
EN
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching. They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
PL
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā;
EN
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these five qualities is good enough for themselves and others. A mendicant with four qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. What four?
PL
sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano alaṁ paresaṁ. Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano nālaṁ paresaṁ. Katamehi catūhi?
EN
A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching.
PL
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
EN
But they’re not a good speaker and do not enunciate well. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these four qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. A mendicant with four qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
PL
no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā; no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano nālaṁ paresaṁ. Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ nālaṁ attano.
EN
What four? A mendicant is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. But they don’t examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
PL
Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
EN
Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice in line with the teaching. They’re a good speaker who enunciates well. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning. They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these four qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
PL
na ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā; sandassako ca hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
EN
A mendicant with three qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. What three? A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard.
PL
Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano nālaṁ paresaṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti;
EN
They examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching. But they’re not a good speaker and do not enunciate well. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions.
PL
dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti; no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā; no ca sandassako hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ.
EN
A mendicant with these three qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. A mendicant with three qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves. What three? A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings.
PL
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ. Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu;
EN
They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. But they don’t examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice in line with the teaching. They’re a good speaker. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning.
PL
sutānañca dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā;
EN
They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these three qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves. A mendicant with two qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. What two?
PL
sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano. Dvīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ. Katamehi dvīhi?
EN
A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. And they don’t readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. But they examine the meaning of teachings they have memorized. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching.
PL
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti; atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;
EN
They’re not a good speaker. Their voice isn’t polished, clear, articulate, and doesn’t express the meaning. They don’t educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these two qualities is good enough for themselves but not for others. A mendicant with two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.
PL
no ca kalyāṇavāco hoti …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā; no ca sandassako hoti …pe… sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dvīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ attano, nālaṁ paresaṁ. Dvīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano.
EN
What two? A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. And they don’t readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. Nor do they examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized.
PL
Katamehi dvīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva kho khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu; no ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti; no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti;
EN
Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice in line with the teaching. But they’re a good speaker who enunciates well. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning. They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.”
PL
no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti; kalyāṇavāco ca hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo, poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā; sandassako ca hoti samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dvīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ paresaṁ, nālaṁ attano”ti.
PL
Dutiyaṁ.

Pāli root text and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato from SuttaCentral (https://suttacentral.net), CC0.

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