The Chapter on Guaranteed

AN 4.71 Effort Padhānasutta

"Mendicants, when a mendicant has four things their practice is unfailing, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements. What four? It's when a mendicant is ethical, learned, energetic, and wise. When a mendicant has these four things their practice is unfailing, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements."

AN 4.72 Right View Sammādiṭṭhisutta

"Mendicants, when a mendicant has four things their practice is unfailing, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements. What four? Thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness; and right view. When a mendicant has these four things their practice is unfailing, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements."

AN 4.73 A True Person Sappurisasutta

"Mendicants, an untrue person can be known by four qualities. What four?

To start with, an untrue person speaks ill of another even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of another in full detail, not leaving anything out. That's how to know that this is an untrue person.

Furthermore, an untrue person doesn't speak well of another even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak well of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That's how to know that this is an untrue person.

Furthermore, an untrue person doesn't speak ill of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That's how to know that this is an untrue person.

Furthermore, an untrue person speaks well of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak well of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out. That's how to know that this is an untrue person. An untrue person can be known by these four qualities.

A true person can be known by four qualities. What four?

To start with, a true person doesn't speak ill of another even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak ill of another without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That's how to know that this is a true person.

Furthermore, a true person speaks well of another even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak well of another in full detail, not leaving anything out. That's how to know that this is a true person.

Furthermore, a true person speaks ill of themselves even when not asked, let alone when asked. But when led on by questions they speak ill of themselves in full detail, not leaving anything out. That's how to know that this is a true person.

Furthermore, a true person doesn't speak well of themselves even when asked, let alone when not asked. But when summoned for questioning they speak well of themselves without giving the full details, leaving many things out. That's how to know that this is a true person. A true person can be known by these four qualities.

It's like a bride on the day or night she's first brought to her husband's home. Right away she sets up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for her mother and father in law, her husband, and even the bondservants, workers, and staff. But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, she'll even say to her mother and father in law, or to her husband: 'Go away! What would you know?' In the same way, on the day or night a mendicant first goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, right away they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, and even the monastery workers and novices. But after some time, because of living together and familiarity, they'll even say to their tutor or mentor: 'Go away! What would you know?'

So you should train like this: 'We will live with hearts like that of a newly wedded bride.' That's how you should train."

AN 4.74 Best (1st) Paṭhamaaggasutta

"Mendicants, these four things are the best. What four? The best ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom. These are the four things that are the best."

AN 4.75 Best (2nd) Dutiyaaggasutta

"Mendicants, these four things are the best. What four? The best form, feeling, perception, and existence. These are the four things that are the best."

AN 4.76 At Kusinārā Kusinārasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his full extinguishment. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"

"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"Perhaps even a single mendicant has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. So ask, mendicants! Don't regret it later, thinking: 'We were in the Teacher's presence and we weren't able to ask the Buddha a question.'" When this was said, the mendicants kept silent.

For a second time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: ... For a second time, the mendicants kept silent.

For a third time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: ... For a third time, the mendicants kept silent.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:

"Mendicants, perhaps you don't ask out of respect for the Teacher. So let a friend tell a friend." When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

"It's incredible, sir, it's amazing! I am quite confident that there's not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice."

"Ānanda, you speak from faith. But the Realized One knows that there's not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. Even the last of these five hundred mendicants is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening."

AN 4.77 Unthinkable Acinteyyasutta

"Mendicants, these four things are unthinkable. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated. What four?

The domain of the Buddhas ...

The domain of one in absorption ...

The results of deeds ...

Speculation about the world ...

These are the four unthinkable things. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated."

AN 4.78 A Religious Donation Dakkhiṇasutta

"Mendicants, there are these four ways of purifying a religious donation. What four? There's a religious donation that's purified by the giver, not the recipient. There's a religious donation that's purified by the recipient, not the giver. There's a religious donation that's purified by neither the giver nor the recipient. There's a religious donation that's purified by both the giver and the recipient.

And how is a religious donation purified by the giver, not the recipient? It's when the giver is ethical, of good character, but the recipient is unethical, of bad character.

And how is a religious donation purified by the recipient, not the giver? It's when the giver is unethical, of bad character, but the recipient is ethical, of good character.

And how is a religious donation purified by neither the giver nor the recipient? It's when both the giver and the recipient are unethical, of bad character.

And how is a religious donation purified by both the giver and the recipient? It's when both the giver and the recipient are ethical, of good character.

These are the four ways of purifying a religious donation."

AN 4.79 Business Vaṇijjasutta

Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

"Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why for different people the same kind of business undertaking might fail, while another doesn't meet expectations, another meets expectations, and another exceeds expectations?"

"Sāriputta, take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. But they fail to give what's requested. When they've passed away from that life, if they're reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake fails.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what's requested, but don't meet expectations. When they've passed away from that life, if they're reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake doesn't meet expectations.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what's requested, meeting expectations. When they've passed away from that life, if they're reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake meets expectations.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what's requested, exceeding expectations. When they've passed away from that life, if they're reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake exceeds expectations.

This is the cause, this is the reason why for different people the same kind of business undertaking might fail, while another doesn't meet expectations, another meets expectations, and another exceeds expectations."

AN 4.80 Persia Kambojasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita's Monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

"Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why females don't attend council meetings, work for a living, or travel to Persia?"

"Ānanda, females are irritable, jealous, stingy, and unintelligent. This is the cause, this is the reason why females don't attend council meetings, work for a living, or travel to Persia."