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Buddhism

AN 1:77 · Increase in Discernment (Paññāvuḍḍhi Sutta)

Thai temple painting: Prince Vessantara gives away the white elephant
Vessantara Jātaka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest) · Thai, Rattanakosin, c. 1850–1870 · Walters Art Museum

77. “Next to nothing, monks, is loss of relatives. This is the worst loss: loss of discernment.”

78. “Next to nothing, monks, is increase in relatives. This is the foremost increase: increase in discernment. Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves: ‘We will grow in the increase of discernment.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”

79. “Next to nothing, monks, is loss of wealth. This is the worst loss: loss of discernment.”

80. “Next to nothing, monks, is increase in wealth. This is the foremost increase: increase in discernment. Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves: ‘We will grow in the increase of discernment.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”

81. “Next to nothing, monks, is loss of status. This is the worst loss: loss of discernment.”

82. “Next to nothing, monks, is increase in status. This is the foremost increase: increase in discernment. Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves: ‘We will grow in the increase of discernment.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”

See also: AN 5:130; Sn 2:4


Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 licence, for free distribution only. Source: dhammatalks.org (Metta Forest Monastery).

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