“Jute canvas is ugly, unpleasant to touch, and worthless whether it’s new, worn in, or worn out. They use worn out jute canvas for scrubbing pots, or else they just throw it away on the rubbish heap.

In the same way, if a junior mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. That person is just as ugly as jute canvas. If you associate with, accompany, and attend to that person, following their example, it’ll be for your lasting harm and suffering. This is how they’re unpleasant to touch, I say. That person is just as unpleasant to touch as jute canvas. Any robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick that they receive are not very fruitful or beneficial for the donor. This is how they’re worthless, I say. That person is just as worthless as jute canvas.

If a middle mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. …

If a senior mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. … If you associate with, accompany, and attend to that person, following their example, it’ll be for your lasting harm and suffering. …

If such a senior mendicant speaks among the Saṅgha, the mendicants say: ‘What’s an incompetent fool like you got to say? How on earth could you imagine you’ve got something worth saying!’ That person becomes angry and upset, and blurts out things that make the Saṅgha throw them out, as if they were throwing jute canvas away on the rubbish heap.

Cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, pleasant to touch, and valuable whether it’s new, worn in, or worn out. They use worn out cloth from Kāsi for wrapping, or else they place it in a fragrant casket.

In the same way, if a junior mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. That person is just as beautiful as cloth from Kāsi. If you associate with, accompany, and attend to such a person, following their example, it will be for your lasting welfare and happiness. This is how they’re pleasant to touch, I say. That person is just as pleasant to touch as cloth from Kāsi. Any robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick that they receive are very fruitful and beneficial for the donor. This is how they’re valuable, I say. That person is just as valuable as cloth from Kāsi.

If a middle mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. …

If a senior mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. …

If such a senior mendicant speaks in the midst of the Saṅgha, the mendicants say: ‘Venerables, be quiet! The senior mendicant is speaking on the teaching and training.’

So you should train like this: ‘We will be like cloth from Kāsi, not like jute canvas.’ That’s how you should train.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.99 Potthakasutta: Jute by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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“Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities who visits families is unlikable and unlovable, not respected or admired. What five?

1. They act as though they’re close to people they hardly know.
2. They give away things they don’t own.
3. They over-associate with close friends.
4. They whisper in the ear.
5. And they ask for too much.

A mendicant with these five qualities who visits families is unlikable and unlovable, not respected or admired.

A mendicant with five qualities who visits families is dear and beloved, respected and admired. What five? They don’t act as though they’re close to people they hardly know. They don’t give away things they don’t own. They don’t over-associate with close friends. They don’t whisper in the ear. And they don’t ask for too much. A mendicant with these five qualities who visits families is dear and beloved, respected and admired.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.111 Kulūpakasutta: Visiting Families by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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“Mendicants, a warrior with three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship. What three? He’s a long-distance shooter, a marksman, one who shatters large objects. A warrior with these three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship.

In the same way, a mendicant with three factors is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What three? They’re a long-distance shooter, a marksman, and one who shatters large objects.

And how is a mendicant a long-distance shooter? It’s when a mendicant truly sees any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of feeling at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all feeling—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of perception at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all perception—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of choices at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all choices—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near, all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ That’s how a mendicant is a long-distance shooter.

And how is a mendicant a marksman? It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. That’s how a mendicant is a marksman.

And how does a mendicant shatter large objects? It’s when a mendicant shatters the great mass of ignorance. That’s how a mendicant shatters large objects.

A mendicant with these three qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.133 Yodhājīvasutta: A Warrior by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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“At a time when bandits are strong, kings are weak. Then the king is not at ease when going out or coming back or when touring the provinces. The brahmins and householders, likewise, are not at ease when going out or coming back, or when inspecting their business activities.

In the same way, at a time when bad mendicants are strong, good-hearted mendicants are weak. Then the good-hearted mendicants continually adhere to silence in the midst of the Saṅgha, or they stay in the borderlands. This is for the hurt and unhappiness of the people, for the harm, hurt, and suffering of many people, of gods and humans.

At a time when kings are strong, bandits are weak. Then the king is at ease when going out or coming back or when inspecting the provinces. The brahmins and householders, likewise, are at ease when going out or coming back, or when inspecting their business activities.

In the same way, at a time when good-hearted mendicants are strong, bad mendicants are weak. Then the bad mendicants continually adhere to silence in the midst of the Saṅgha, or they leave for some place or other. This is for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 2.39: 3939 by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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“Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities is an exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

What five?

It’s when a mendicant usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—rarely using them without invitation.

When living with other spiritual practitioners, they usually treat them agreeably by way of body, speech, and mind, and rarely disagreeably. And they usually present them with agreeable things, rarely with disagreeable ones.

They’re healthy, so the various unpleasant feelings—stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, wind, or their conjunction; or caused by change in weather, by not taking care of themselves, by overexertion, or as the result of past deeds—usually don’t come up.

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

And they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

A mendicant with these five qualities is an exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

And if anyone should be rightly called an exquisite ascetic of ascetics, it’s me. For I usually use only what I’ve been invited to accept. When living with other spiritual practitioners, I usually treat them agreeably. And I usually present them with agreeable things. I’m healthy. I get the four absorptions when I want, without trouble or difficulty. And I’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. So if anyone should be rightly called an exquisite ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.104 Samaṇasukhumālasutta: An Exquisite Ascetic of Ascetics by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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