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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

A Man

SN 37.2 · Purisasutta

Dew-covered white flowers above green hills in warm morning light.

“Mendicants, when a man has five factors he is extremely undesirable to a lady. What five? He’s not attractive, wealthy, or ethical; he’s idle, and he doesn’t beget children. When a man has these five factors he is extremely undesirable to a lady.

When a man has five factors he is extremely desirable to a lady. What five? He’s attractive, wealthy, and ethical; he’s deft and tireless, and he begets children. When a man has these five factors he is extremely desirable to a lady.”

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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.