The Chapter on a Good Person

AN 4.201 Training Rules Sikkhāpadasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and an even truer person. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

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

"And what is an untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. And they encourage others to refrain from these things. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.202 Faithless Assaddhasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and an even truer person.

And what is an untrue person? It's someone who is faithless, shameless, imprudent, with little learning, lazy, unmindful, and witless. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who is faithless, shameless, imprudent, with little learning, lazy, confused, and witless. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who is personally accomplished in faith, conscience, prudence, learning, energy, mindfulness, and wisdom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.203 Seven Kinds of Deeds Sattakammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and a truer person.

And what is an untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and uses speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and uses speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they encourage others to refrain from these things. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.204 Ten Kinds of Deeds Dasakammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and an even truer person.

And what is an untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.205 Eightfold Aṭṭhaṅgikasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and an even truer person.

And what is an untrue person? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.206 The Path with Ten Factors Dasamaggasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person, a true person and an even truer person.

And what is an untrue person? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. This is called an untrue person.

And what is an even more untrue person? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even more untrue person.

And what is a true person? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. This is called a true person.

And what is an even truer person? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called an even truer person."

AN 4.207 Bad Character (1st) Paṭhamapāpadhammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you who's bad and who's worse, who's good and who's better.

And who's bad? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. This is called bad.

And who's worse? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called worse.

And who's good? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. This is called good.

And who's better? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called better."

AN 4.208 Bad Character (2nd) Dutiyapāpadhammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you who's bad and who's worse, who's good and who's better.

And who's bad? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. This is called bad.

And who's worse? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called worse.

And who's good? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. This is called good.

And who's better? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called better."

AN 4.209 Bad Character (3rd) Tatiyapāpadhammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you bad character and worse character, good character and better character.

And who has bad character? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. This is called bad character.

And who has worse character? It's someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're covetous, malicious, with wrong view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called worse character.

And who has good character? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. This is called good character.

And who has better character? It's someone who doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. They're contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called better character."

AN 4.210 Bad Character (4th) Catutthapāpadhammasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you bad character and worse character, good character and better character.

And who has bad character? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. This is called bad character.

And who has worse character? It's someone who has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called worse character.

And who has good character? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. This is called good character.

And who has better character? It's someone who has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. And they encourage others in these same qualities. This is called better character."