2.3. Division of Human Types by Three

1. What sort of person is hopeless?

Here a certain person who is immoral and is of evil disposition, who is of impure habits and who is the doer of deeds (which must be) concealed, professes to be a Samaṇa, although he is not one; being unchaste, he professes to live the holy life; is corrupt within, is filled with desire, and is one in whom foulness has accumulated, and when he hears thus: “a monk of such and such a name, on the dissolution of sinful tendencies lives in the attainment of emancipation by way of insight and by means of higher wisdom of emancipation of thought which is devoid of sinful tendencies, after he has by himself known and realised them in this life”, he does not think thus: When shall I too on the dissolution of sinful tendencies live, etc.? such a person is said to be a hopeless person.

What sort of person is hopeful?

Here a certain person who is moral and is of good disposition happens to learn that such and such a monk, on the dissolution of sinful tendencies, lives in the attainment of emancipation by way of insight and of emancipation of thought which is devoid of the sinful tendencies, after he has by himself known and realised them by means of higher wisdom in this life. He thereupon thinks: When shall I too on the dissolution, etc.? Such a person is said to be hopeful.

What sort of person is he who has lost hope?

Here a certain person, having known and realised by himself in this life, by means of higher wisdom, the emancipation that comes through insight and emancipation of thought, which is the being rid of evil tendencies, comes to learn that a bhikkhu of such and such a name lives in this world, having personally come to know and realise, by means of higher knowledge, the emancipation that comes through insight and emancipation of thought, which is the being rid of evil tendencies. He thereupon does not think thus: When shall I too live, etc.? To what is this due? Because that aspiration to attain emancipation, which he entertained when he was still unemancipated, has been stilled. Such a man is said to be one who has lost desire.

2. Who are the three persons that may be likened to a sick person?

There are three kinds of sick persons. Here there is some sick person who, whether or not he gets proper diet or good medicines or an able nurse, fails to recover from his illness.

Here again there is some sick person who, whether or not he gets proper diet or good medicines or an able nurse, recovers from his illness.

Here again there is some sick person who, getting proper diet or good medicines or an able nurse, recovers from his illness but not without getting those things.

For the last class of patients—i.e., those who can recover from a disease if they get proper diet or good medicines or an able nurse, but not without getting them, the Blessed One has prescribed diet (fit for the sick) or medicine (worthy of the sick) or an able nurse (fit for the sick) for them.

Other patients are to be attended to because of this class of patients.

Like these three sick persons there dwell in this world three types of persons. Which three?

1. Here a certain person, whether or not he sees the Tathāgata and whether or not he listens to the doctrine and the discipline thereof as expounded by the Tathāgata, does not enter upon the accepted order (niyāma) in things that are good.
2. Here again a certain person, whether or not he sees the Tathāgata with his own eyes and whether or not he hears the doctrine and the discipline thereof as expounded by the Tathāgata, enters upon the accepted order in things that are good.
3. Here again another person only when he is able to see the Tathāgata and to listen to the doctrine and the discipline thereof as expounded by the Tathāgata enters upon the accepted order in things that are good, but not otherwise.

In the case of the person of the last type—namely, one who enters upon the accepted order in things that are good only when he comes to see the Tathāgata and hears the doctrine and discipline imparted by him, but not otherwise—for him has the Blessed One prescribed religious discourse, and because of this person the doctrine should be imparted to others. These are the three men in this world who are comparable to sick men.

3. What sort of person is an “eye-witness”?

Here a person goes on himself experiencing the eight stages of emancipation and, having seen them through insight, some of his sinful tendencies are completely destroyed. This sort of person is said to be an “eye-witness”.

What sort of person is one who has won vision?

Here a person truly understands that this is suffering, that this is the genesis of suffering, that this is the cessation of suffering, that this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering. The doctrines promulgated by the Tathāgata are perceived by him through insight as well as practised; and having seen them through insight, some of his sinful tendencies are completely destroyed. This sort of person is said to be one who has won vision.

What sort of person is emancipated by faith?

Here a person truly understands that this is suffering, that this is the genesis of suffering, that this is the cessation of suffering, and that this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering. The doctrines promulgated by the Tathāgata are perceived by him through insight as well as practised, and having seen them through insight, some of his sinful tendencies are completely destroyed, though not in the same way as in the case of the person who has won vision. This sort of person is said to be one emancipated by faith.

4. What sort of person is “foul-mouthed”?

Here a certain person who is a liar, being brought into an assembly, into the midst of a meeting, or into the midst of his relations, or into a congregation, or into the prince's council, and interrogated as a witness thus: “Come, good man, just tell us what you know (about it)”; he would say, “I know”, when he does not know, and knowing he would say, “I do not know”. He would say he saw those things which he never saw, and would not say which things he actually witnessed; thus either for his own sake, or for the sake of others, or for the sake of any least gain to him, he would speak untruth consciously. Such a man is said to be “foul-mouthed”.

What sort of person is a “flower-speaker”?

Here a certain person giving up falsehood refrains from speaking the same and, when he is brought into an assembly, or into the midst of a meeting, or into the midst of his relatives, or into a congregation, or into the prince's council, interrogated as witness thus: “Come, good man, tell us what you know (about it)”; if he does not know it, he says that he does not know it, if, on the other hand, he knows it, he confesses that he knows, if he has not seen it, he at once says that he has not seen it, but on the contrary if he has seen it, he says what he has seen. Thus neither for his own sake, nor for the sake of others, nor for the sake of any least gain to him would he speak untruth consciously. Such a person is said to be a “flower-speaker”.

What sort of person is “honey-tongued”?

Here a certain person speaks those words that are blameless, pleasing to the ear, lovely, appealing to the heart, urbane, coveted by many and fascinating to many. Such a person is said to be “honey-tongued”.

5. What sort of person is “cancer-minded”?

Here a certain person who is angry, full of despair, gets wrathful and enraged and becomes out of sorts and stubborn when something, however little, is spoken to him. He gives vent to his rage, to the spirit of enmity and suspicion. In the same manner as a gangrenous sore, when it is poked with a wooden stick or a stone, discharges putrid matter largely, so also there is a certain person who is angry, full of despair, gets wrathful and enraged and becomes out of sorts and gives vent to his rage, to the spirit of enmity and suspicion at the slightest provocation.

What sort of person is “lightning-minded”?

Here a certain person truly understands that this is suffering, that this is the genesis of suffering, that this is the cessation of suffering, and that this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Just as a person, possessed of sight, can see things by the flash of lightning in the darkness of night, so also there is a certain person who truly understands that this is suffering, that this is the genesis of suffering, that this is the cessation of suffering, and that this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

What sort of person is diamond-minded?

Here a certain person, on the destruction of his sinful tendencies, lives having come to know and realise sinless emancipation of mind and of insight even in the present existence. Just as there is nothing which cannot be pierced by a diamond, be it a precious or ordinary stone, so also there is a certain person who, on the destruction of his sinful tendencies, lives, etc. Such a person is said to be diamond-minded.

6. What sort of man is blind?

Here a certain person does not possess that sight whereby he can discover and attain that wealth which has not been attained, or can augment it, he has not even that insight whereby he can distinguish good and bad, the blameworthy and the blameless, the superior and the inferior states and the admixture of dark and light qualities. Such a person is said to be blind.

What sort of person is “purblind”?

Here a certain person who has the eye of knowledge whereby he can attain that wealth which he could not attain before and can moreover augment it, does not possess that mental vision whereby he can distinguish between the good and the bad, the blameworthy and the blameless, the superior and the inferior states as well as discover the admixture of dark and light qualities. Such a person is said to be “purblind”.

What sort of person is two-eyed?

Here a person possesses that eye which can help him to bring that wealth which he could not attain before and also to increase it, as well as that insight which makes it possible for him to know the good and the bad, the blameworthy and the blameless, the superior and the inferior states, and the admixture of dark and light qualities. Such a person is said to be two-eyed.

7. What sort of person is of “inverted intelligence”?

Here a certain person goes to a monastery in order to listen to religious discourse from the monks. The monks give instructions to him in the doctrine that is beneficial at the beginning, beneficial at the middle, and beneficial at the end, and enunciate to him the perfectly pure holy life that is full of meaning, suitably worded and in its fulness and entirety. Seated in that seat, he does not mind the discourse when it was told, nor when it was continued, nor when it was finished; in the same manner, having got up from his seat, he pays no heed to the discourse, neither at the beginning … etc. … nor at the end. Even as when a jar is kept upside down, the water that is poured upon it does not accumulate but streams down, so also there is a certain person who goes to a monastery in order to listen to the religious discourse from the monks, … (but) does not heed the discourse. Such a person is said to be of “inverted intelligence”.

What sort of person is of “folded intelligence”?

Here a certain person goes to a monastery to listen to the religious discourse from the monks. The monks give instructions to him in the doctrine that is beneficial at the beginning, beneficial at the middle, and beneficial at the end, enunciate to him the perfectly pure holy life that is full of meaning, suitably worded and in its fulness and entirety. Seated in that seat he minds the discourse at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end, but he does not do so when he has got up from his seat. Just as a person who has in the fold of a lap of his cloth placed many kinds of food whether sesamum seed or rice, modaka (sweets) and plums, and, when he rises from his seat, they are all scattered through lapse of memory. In the like manner there is a person, etc. Such a person is said to be one of “folded intelligence”.

What sort of person is of “wide intelligence”?

Here a certain person goes to a monastery and remains listening to religious discourse, etc. Seated in that seat, he pays heed to the discourse at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end, even when he has left that seat. For example, when a jar is kept upright, the water that may be poured into it persists and does not flow away. So a certain person goes to a monastery to listen to the religious discourse, etc. Such is the person who is said to be a person of “wide intelligence”.

8. What sort of person is not dispassionate as to sense-desires or rebirths?

The stream-attainer as well as the once-returner—these are the people who are not dispassionate as to sense-desires or rebirths.

What sort of person is dispassionate in regard to sense-desires but not dispassionate in regard to rebirths?

The never-returner—he is said to be a person who is dispassionate and not dispassionate.

What sort of person is dispassionate as to both sense-desires and rebirths?

The Arahant—he is the person who is thus dispassionate.

9. What sort of person may be compared to a mark on stone?

Here a certain person becomes repeatedly angry and that anger endures for a long time, just as a mark inscribed on a stone is so indelible that it cannot be effaced soon either by wind or by water, but lasts long. So also there is a person, etc. Such is the person who may be compared to a mark on stone.

What sort of person may be compared to a mark on earth?

Here a certain person gets angry repeatedly, but this passion does not last for a long time; for instance, a mark on earth disappears quickly either by wind or by water and does not last long; in the same manner there is a certain person, etc. Such is the person who may be compared to a mark drawn on earth.

What sort of person may be compared to a mark on water?

Here a certain person who, even if he is spoken to in a strong and harsh and unpleasant manner, is connected and coherent, and makes himself agreeable. Just as a mark on water disappears quickly and does not last long, so also a certain person, etc. Such is the person who may be compared to a mark on water.

10. What are the three types of persons comparable to three kinds of hempen cloth?

There are three kinds of hempen cloth; One, although new, is of bad colour, of rough texture and cheap. Another is of bad colour, rough to the touch and cheap. (The last one) which is tattered cloth, of bad colour, coarse to the touch and cheap; they use this tattered hempen cloth to cleanse the rice-boiling pot, or throw it away into the rubbish heap. In the same manner there exist among the monks three types of people comparable to these hempen cloths. What are the three?

If a certain young Buddhist monk happens to be immoral and wicked, this is due to his want of grace. Just as a hempen cloth is of bad colour, so also is this person. Those who serve him, respect him, worship him, come to hold his views, which turn out to be harmful and a cause of suffering for them for a long time. This is due to his coarseness. Just as a hempen cloth is rough to the touch, so also is this person. There does not arise any great benefit or great advantage to those from whom he accepts clothing, food, bed, seat, clinical requisites and medicines—this is owing to the little worth of the person. Just as a hempen cloth is of little value, so also is this person. If a middle-aged monk or, again, if a senior monk happens to be immoral and wicked, this is because of his want of grace. Just as a hempen cloth is of bad colour, so also is this person. Those who serve him, respect him, worship him, come to hold his views: this turns out to be harmful and a cause of suffering for them for a long time. This is due to his coarseness. Just as a hempen cloth is rough to the touch so also is this person. There does not arise any great benefit or great advantage to those from whom such a person accepts clothing, food, bed, seat, clinical requisites and medicines. This is due to the little worth of the person. Just as that piece of cloth is of little value, so also is this person. If such a middle-aged or elder monk speaks in the assembly, the bhikkhus will remark thus: “What is the good of your speaking, fool and inexperienced as you are, that you consider that you should speak”? He gets angry and becomes displeased and gives out such words whereby the assembly of monks ousts him in the same manner as a piece of hempen cloth is thrown on to a rubbish-heap. These are the three types of persons who live and have their being among the bhikkhus, that are comparable to a piece of hempen cloth.

11. What are the three types of persons comparable to Benares cloth?

There are three kinds of Benares cloth—one brand-new, beautifully coloured, smooth to the touch and valuable; another cloth is neither new nor old but of fine colour and smooth to the touch and of much value; another is worn out yet beautiful in colour and pleasant to the touch.

They use the worn Benares cloth for enwrapping jewellery, or they throw it into the perfumed chest.

In the same manner there exist among the monks three types of persons comparable to Benares cloth, and which are the three? If a new Buddhist monk happens to be virtuous and lovely, it is as beauty of colour in him. Just as Benares cloth is beautifully coloured, so is this person. Those who serve him, respect him, worship him, entertain the same views with him, this will be for their good and happiness for a long time. This is owing to the pleasure of contact with him. Just as a Benares cloth is pleasant to the touch, in the same way should this person be figured. It comes to be of good consequence and great advantage to those from whom he accepts clothing, food, bed, seat, clinical requisites and medicines. This is owing to the great worth of the person. Just as Benares cloth is valuable so also is this person. (Next,) if a middle-aged monk, and (lastly,) if an elderly monk happens to be virtuous and good natured, this is because of his virtue. Just as a Benares cloth is of beautiful colour so also is this person. Those who either serve him, respect him, worship him, entertain the same views as he, this will long be for their good and happiness. This is owing to the pleasure of contact with him. Just as a Benares cloth is pleasant to the touch, so also this person is amiable in disposition. It comes to be of great benefit and advantage to those from whom such a person accepts clothing, food, bed and seat, clinical requisites and medicines. This is due to the great worth of the person. Just as Benares cloth is of considerable value, so also is this person. If such a senior monk happens to say something in an assembly of monks, then the monks would address the assembly thus: “Let the venerable brethren make less noise, this monk is speaking about the doctrine and the discipline”, and his words will be laid to heart just in the same way as Benares cloth is deposited in the perfumed chest.

These are the three types of persons present among the bhikkhus who are comparable to Benares cloth.

12. What sort of person is one to be easily measured?

Here is a certain person who is haughty, insolent, fickle, garrulous, irrelevant in speech unrestrained in speech, having the memory confused, unmindful, of unsettled and erring mind with his senses out of hand. Such a person is one who may be easily measured.

What sort of person is one hard to be measured?

Here is a certain person who is not haughty, not insolent, not fickle, not garrulous, not irrelevant in speech, having the memory collected, mindful, composed and concentrated in mind and his senses controlled. Such a person is one who is hard to be measured.

What sort of person cannot be measured?

Here is a certain person who on the wearing out of the sinful tendencies, devoid of these, having by himself come to know and realise even in this life emancipation of mind and of insight, lives in attainment thereof. Such a person is one who cannot be measured.

13. What sort of person should not be served or respected or waited upon?

Here a certain person happens to be inferior in respect of morals, concentration, and insight. Such a person should not be served, nor respected, nor waited upon except out of compassion.

What sort of person is to be served, respected, or waited upon?

Here a certain person happens to be quite an equal in respect of morals, concentration, and insight. Such a person is to be served, etc.; and for what reason? “Because of the common possession of virtue there will be virtuous discourse between us and that will be to our benefit and that will be conducive to our advance; and because of the common possession of concentration there will also be virtuous discourse on concentration; that will be to our benefit and will be conducive to our advance. And lastly, because of the common possession of insight, there will be virtuous discourse between us on insight—that will be to our benefit and it will be conducive to our advance”. And it is for this reason that such a person ought to be served, cultivated, waited upon.

What sort of person having been honoured, revered, is to be served, cultivated, waited upon?

Here a certain person happens to be greater (than we are) in respect of virtue, concentration, insight. Such a person is to be honoured, served, waited upon. Why? “Because I shall fulfil the body of those precepts which are unfulfilled or I shall learn such and such precepts that I have fulfilled. Or I shall fulfil the branches of concentration which are unfulfilled, or I shall learn this and that branch by insight which I have fulfilled; lastly, because I shall do likewise as to the cultivation of insight”. Therefore such a person, having been honoured, revered, should be served, cultivated, and waited upon.

14. What sort of person is to be abhorred, not to be served, not to be cultivated, not to be waited upon?

Here a certain person happens to be immoral, wicked, of impure habits and conduct, doer of deeds which are concealed; unworthy of being a monk, he passes for a monk; not leading a holy life, he passes for one who leads a holy life; corrupt within, filled with sinful desires, he is one in whom foulness has accumulated. Such a person should be abhorred, not served, nor respected nor waited upon. What is the reason?

Even though such a person does not entertain a heretical view, still his notoriety spreads; this person is a friend of the sinner, an associate of the sinner and is entangled with the sinner. Just as a serpent falling into filth, although it will not bite, will be besmeared with it, in the same way even though such a person does not entertain heretical views, etc.

Such a person should be abhorred, not served, not cultivated, not waited upon.

What sort of person is to be treated with indifference, not served, not cultivated, not waited upon?

Here a certain person who is wrathful and irascible, who, if anything, however little, is said, at once becomes displeased, angry, out of sorts, stubborn, and gives vent to anger, enmity, and discontent. Just as a gangrenous sore when poked by means of a wooden stick or stone discharges putrid matter largely, so also there is such a person as that. Just as an ember of tiṇḍuka when poked by means of a stick or stone makes a hissing noise, so also there is such a person as that. Just as a pit full of filth when churned by means of a stick or stone gives out an exceedingly bad odour, so also there is such a person as that. Such a person is to be treated with indifference, etc., and for what reason? “Because, out of anger he may speak ill of me, ridicule me, and do me some harm”. Therefore such a person is to be treated with indifference, not to be served, not cultivated, not waited upon.

What sort of person is to be served, cultivated, waited upon?

Here a certain person happens to be virtuous and of lovely disposition. Such a person is to be served, cultivated, waited upon; and for what reason? Even if such a person happens to entertain a heretical view, still a good fame will be abroad that such a person is the friend, the associate, of lovely persons, is entangled with them. Therefore, such a person should be served, cultivated, waited upon.

15. What sort of person is he who fulfils the moral laws but incompletely practises concentration and insight?

The stream-attainer as also the once-returner—these are the persons who fulfil the moral laws, but incompletely practise concentration and insight.

What sort of person is he who fulfils the moral laws and completes the practices of concentration, but incompletely practises insight?

The never-returner—such is the person who fulfils the moral laws and completes the practice of concentration, but incompletely practises insight.

What sort of person is he who fulfils the moral laws and completes the practice of concentration and also that of insight?

The Arahant—such is the person who fulfils the moral laws and completes those practices.

16. Who are the three teachers?

Here a certain teacher sets out an understanding of sense desires, but neither of the objects of sense nor of feelings. Again, another teacher sets out the first two but not the last, and lastly there is a teacher who sets out an understanding of all the three. Now, here a teacher of the first order is to be understood as a teacher who has attained the ecstatic state belonging to the world of form (rūpa-world). Again, the teacher of the second order is to be understood as a teacher who has attained ecstatic meditation belonging to the world of the formless (arūpa-world). Lastly, the teacher of the third order is to be understood as a teacher who is perfectly enlightened. These are the three.

17. Who are other three teachers?

Here a certain teacher sets out soul as something real and permanent in the present life as well as in the future life. Again, another teacher sets out soul as something real and permanent as far as this world is concerned but does not say so with regard to any future existence. Lastly, a certain teacher does not set it out as a real and permanent entity either in regard to the present or to the future life. Here the teacher of the first order is to be understood as a teacher who upholds the doctrine of Eternalism. Again, the teacher of the second order is to be understood as a teacher who upholds the doctrine of Annihilationism.

Lastly, the teacher of the third order is to be understood as the teacher who is perfectly enlightened.

These are the other three teachers.

Here ends the specification of grouping by Three.