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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

A Resident Mendicant

AN 5.231 · Āvāsikasutta

Open sky above a quiet upland and a low juniper.

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is not admirable. What five? They’re not accomplished in being well-mannered 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-mannered 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.”

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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.