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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

A Meal Assigner

AN 4.20 · Bhattuddesakasutta

Clear spring water reveals a pale stone and gentle patterns of light.

“Mendicants, a meal assigner who has four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there. What four? They make decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal assigner who has these four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

A meal designator who has four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there. What four? They make decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal assigner who has these four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

All those people with unbridled sensuality, unprincipled, with no respect for principle, led astray by favoritism or hostility, stupidity or cowardice, are called ‘an assembly of the dregs’:

that’s what was said by the ascetic who knows. And so those praiseworthy true persons, standing on principle, doing nothing wrong, not led astray by favoritism or hostility, stupidity or cowardice, are called ‘an assembly of the cream’: that’s what was said by the ascetic who knows.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.