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AN 5.119 Micchāvācāsutta: Wrong Speech

“Mendicants, a nun with five qualities is cast down to hell. What five? Without examining or scrutinizing, she praises those deserving of criticism, and criticizes those deserving of praise. She has wrong speech and wrong action, and wastes gifts given in faith. A nun with these five qualities is cast down to hell.

A nun with five qualities is raised up to heaven. What five? After examining and scrutinizing, she criticizes those deserving of criticism, and praises those deserving of praise. She has right speech and right action, and doesn’t waste gifts given in faith. A nun with these five qualities is raised up to heaven.”


Note: We don’t get any indication from the sutta why it was addressed specifically about bhikkhunīs (nuns), however we do know that senior monks would give talks to the bhikkhunī saṅgha on the uposatha. Of course these same qualities apply to bhikkhus (monks).

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.119 Micchāvācāsutta: Wrong Speech by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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