AN.4.201. Sikkhāpadasutta ("Training Rules")

Aṅguttara Nikāya ("Collections of Numbered Discourses")

“Mendicants, I will teach you a bad person and a worse person, a good person and a better person. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“And what is a bad person? It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and uses alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. This is called a bad person.

And what is a worse person? It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and uses alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. And they encourage others to do these things. This is called a worse person.

And what is a good person? It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or use alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. This is called a good person.

And what is a better person? It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or use alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. And they encourage others to avoid these things. This is called a better person.”



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