Inspiring All Around (2nd) (AN8.72)

Numbered Discourses 8.72

8. Pairs

Inspiring All Around (2nd)

“A mendicant is faithful, but not ethical.

So they’re incomplete in that respect,

and should fulfill it, thinking:

‘How can I become faithful and ethical?’

When the mendicant is faithful and ethical,

they’re complete in that respect.

A mendicant is faithful and ethical, but not learned. …

they’re not a Dhamma speaker …

they don’t frequent assemblies …

they don’t teach Dhamma to the assembly with assurance …

they don’t have direct meditative experience of the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form …

they don’t realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.

So they’re incomplete in that respect,

and should fulfill it, thinking:

‘How can I become faithful, ethical, and learned, a Dhamma speaker, one who frequents assemblies, one who teaches Dhamma to the assembly with assurance, one who gets the formless liberations, and one who lives having realized the ending of defilements?’

When they’re faithful, ethical, and learned, a Dhamma speaker, one who frequents assemblies, one who teaches Dhamma to the assembly with assurance, one who gets the formless liberations, and one who lives having realized the ending of defilements,

they’re complete in that respect.

A mendicant who possesses these eight qualities is impressive all around, and is complete in every respect.”