The Chapter on a Resident Mendicant
AN 5.231 A Resident Mendicant Āvāsikasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is not admirable. What five? They're not accomplished in being well-presented and doing their duties. They're not very learned and don't remember what they've learned. They're not self-effacing and don't enjoy self-effacement. They're not a good speaker and do not enunciate well. They're witless, dull, and idiotic. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is not admirable.
A resident mendicant with these five qualities is admirable. What five? They're accomplished in being well-presented and doing their duties. They're very learned and remember what they've learned. They're self-effacing and enjoy self-effacement. They're a good speaker who enunciates well. They're wise, bright, and clever. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is admirable."
AN 5.232 Liked Piyasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired. What five?
They're ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken.
They're very learned, remembering and keeping what they've learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that's entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.
They're a good speaker who enunciates well, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.
They get the four absorptions---blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind---when they want, without trouble or difficulty.
They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.
A resident mendicant with these five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired."
AN 5.233 Beautification Sobhanasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities beautifies the monastery. What five?
They're ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken.
They're very learned, remembering and keeping what they've learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that's totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.
They're a good speaker who enunciates well, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.
They're able to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire those who approach them with a Dhamma talk.
They get the four absorptions---blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind---when they want, without trouble or difficulty.
A resident mendicant with these five qualities beautifies the monastery."
AN 5.234 Very Helpful Bahūpakārasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is very helpful to the monastery. What five?
They're ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken.
They're very learned, remembering and keeping what they've learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that's totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.
They repair what is decayed and damaged.
When a large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad, they go to the lay people and announce:
'A large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad. Make merit! Now is the time to make merit!'
They get the four absorptions---blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind---when they want, without trouble or difficulty.
A resident mendicant with these five qualities is very helpful to the monastery."
AN 5.235 A Sympathetic Mendicant Anukampasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities shows sympathy to the lay people. What five? They encourage them in higher ethics. They equip them to see the truth of the teachings. When they are sick, they go to them and prompt their mindfulness, saying: 'Establish your mindfulness, good sirs, in what is worthy.' When a large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad, they go to the lay people and announce: 'A large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad. Make merit! Now is the time to make merit!' And they eat whatever food they give them, coarse or fine, not wasting a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities shows sympathy to the lay people."
AN 5.236 Deserving Criticism (1st) Paṭhamaavaṇṇārahasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism, and they criticize those deserving of praise. Without examining or scrutinizing, they arouse faith in things that are dubious, and they don't arouse faith in things that are inspiring. And they waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is cast down to hell.
A resident mendicant with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism, and they praise those deserving of praise. They don't arouse faith in things that are dubious, and they do arouse faith in things that are inspiring. And they don't waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 5.237 Deserving Criticism (2nd) Dutiyaavaṇṇārahasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism, and they criticize those deserving of praise. They're stingy and avaricious regarding monasteries. They're stingy and avaricious regarding families. And they waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is cast down to hell.
A resident mendicant with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism, and they praise those deserving of praise. They're not stingy and avaricious regarding monasteries. They're not stingy and avaricious regarding families. And they don't waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 5.238 Deserving Criticism (3rd) Tatiyaavaṇṇārahasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism, and they criticize those deserving of praise. They're stingy regarding monasteries, families, and material things. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is cast down to hell.
A resident mendicant with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism, and they praise those deserving of praise. They're not stingy regarding monasteries, families, and material things. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 5.239 Stinginess (1st) Paṭhamamacchariyasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? They're stingy regarding monasteries, families, material things, and praise. And they waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is cast down to hell.
A resident mendicant with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? They're not stingy regarding monasteries, families, material things, and praise. And they don't waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 5.240 Stinginess (2nd) Dutiyamacchariyasutta
"Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? They're stingy regarding monasteries, families, material things, praise, and the teachings. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is cast down to hell.
A resident mendicant with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? They're not stingy regarding monasteries, families, material things, praise, and the teachings. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is raised up to heaven."