“Mendicants, these five individuals are found in the world. What five?
One individual transgresses and regrets it. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.
One individual transgresses and doesn’t regret it. And they don’t understand …
One individual doesn’t transgress yet still feels regret. And they don’t understand …
One individual neither transgresses nor regrets. But they don’t understand …
One individual neither transgresses nor regrets. And they do understand where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.
Take the case of the individual who transgresses and regrets it. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. They should be told: ‘Venerable, the defilements born of transgression are found in you, and the defilements born of regret grow. You would do well to give up the defilements born of transgression and dispel the defilements born of regret, and then develop the mind and wisdom. In this way you’ll become just like the fifth individual.’
Take the case of the individual who transgresses and doesn’t regret it. And they don’t understand … They should be told: ‘Venerable, the defilements born of transgression are found in you, but the defilements born of regret don’t grow. You would do well to give up the defilements born of transgression, and then develop the mind and wisdom. In this way you’ll become just like the fifth individual.’
Take the case of the individual who doesn’t transgress yet feels regret. And they don’t understand … They should be told: ‘Venerable, the defilements born of transgression are not found in you, yet the defilements born of regret grow. You would do well to dispel the defilements born of regret, and then develop the mind and wisdom. In this way you’ll become just like the fifth individual.’
Take the case of the individual who neither transgresses nor regrets. But they don’t understand … They should be told: ‘Venerable, the defilements born of transgression are not found in you, and the defilements born of regret don’t grow. You would do well to develop the mind and wisdom. In this way you’ll become just like the fifth individual.’
And so, mendicants, when these four individuals are advised and instructed by comparison with the fifth individual, they gradually attain the ending of defilements.”