mn110:1.1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

mn110:2.1Now, at that time it was the sabbath—the full moon on the fifteenth day—and the Buddha was sitting in the open surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks. Then the Buddha looked around the Saṅgha of mendicants, who were so very silent. He addressed them,

“Mendicants, could an untrue person know of an untrue person:Vassakāra asks the Buddha the same questions at AN4.187, with an interesting example given from the court gossip ‘This worthy one is an untrue person’?”

mn110:3.3“No, sir.”

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mn110:3.4“Good, mendicants! It’s impossible, it can’t happen, that an untrue person could know of an untrue person: ‘This worthy one is an untrue person.’ But could an untrue person know of a true person: ‘This worthy one is a true person’?”

mn110:3.9“No, sir.”

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mn110:3.10“Good, mendicants! That too is impossible.

An untrue person has bad qualities, is devoted to untrue persons, and has the intentions, counsel, speech, actions, views, and giving of an untrue person.Bhatti is given in the Abhidhamma Vibhaṅga as a synonym of sevanā, “association” (Vb 17:93.2). While this is correct, the early Pali contexts are more warmly emotional than the rather austere “association”, connecting it with words such as “faith”. This anticipates the later use of bhakti as “(ecstatic religious) devotion”.
“Devotion to untrue persons” is said to be a quality of the Jains (AN10.78).

mn110:5.1And how does an untrue person have bad qualities? It’s when an untrue person is faithless, shameless, imprudent, unlearned, lazy, unmindful, and witless. That’s how an untrue person has bad qualities.

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mn110:6.1And how is an untrue person devoted to untrue persons? It’s when an untrue person is a friend and companion of ascetics and brahmins who are faithless, shameless, imprudent, unlearned, lazy, unmindful, and witless.Where assaddhamma appears in AN10.62 verse 2 - , it means listening to “untrue teachings”, whereas here it means “bad qualities”. That’s how an untrue person is devoted to untrue persons.

mn110:7.1And how does an untrue person have the intentions of an untrue person? It’s when an untrue person intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. That’s how an untrue person has the intentions of an untrue person.

mn110:8.1And how does an untrue person offer the counsel of an untrue person? It’s when an untrue person offers counsel that hurts themselves, hurts others, and hurts both. That’s how an untrue person offers the counsel of an untrue person.

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mn110:9.1And how does an untrue person have the speech of an untrue person? It’s when an untrue person uses speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, and nonsensical. That’s how an untrue person has the speech of an untrue person.

mn110:10.1And how does an untrue person have the action of an untrue person? It’s when an untrue person kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. That’s how an untrue person has the actions of an untrue person.

mn110:11.1And how does an untrue person have the view of an untrue person? It’s when an untrue person has such a view: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ That’s how an untrue person has the view of an untrue person.

mn110:12.1And how does an untrue person give the gifts of an untrue person?Also at AN5.147; see too AN9.20. It’s when an untrue person gives a gift carelessly, not with their own hand, and thoughtlessly. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences. That’s how an untrue person gives the gifts of an untrue person.

mn110:13.1That untrue person—who has such bad qualities, frequents untrue persons, and has the intentions, counsel, speech, actions, views, and giving of an untrue person—when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the place where untrue persons are reborn. And what is the place where untrue persons are reborn? Hell or the animal realm.At AN2.26–29 these destinies are said to await one who hides misdeeds, who has wrong view, and who is unethical. At MN97:30.3 it is said that, of the two, the animal realm is better.

mn110:14.1Mendicants, could a true person know of a true person: ‘This worthy one is a true person’?”

mn110:14.3“Yes, sir.”

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mn110:14.4“Good, mendicants! It is possible that a true person could know of a true person: ‘This worthy one is a true person.’ But could a true person know of an untrue person: ‘This worthy one is an untrue person’?”

mn110:14.9“Yes, sir.”

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mn110:15.1“Good, mendicants! That too is possible. A true person has good qualities, is devoted to true persons, and has the intentions, counsel, speech, actions, views, and giving of a true person.

mn110:16.1And how does a true person have good qualities? It’s when a true person is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise. That’s how a true person has good qualities.

mn110:17.1And how is a true person devoted to true persons? It’s when a true person is a friend and companion of ascetics and brahmins who are faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise. That’s how a true person is devoted to true persons.

mn110:18.1And how does a true person have the intentions of a true person? It’s when a true person doesn’t intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. That’s how a true person has the intentions of a true person.

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mn110:19.1And how does a true person offer the counsel of a true person? It’s when a true person offers counsel that doesn’t hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. That’s how a true person offers the counsel of a true person.

mn110:20.1And how does a true person have the speech of a true person? It’s when a true person refrains from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. That’s how a true person has the speech of a true person.

mn110:21.1And how does a true person have the action of a true person? It’s when a true person refrains from killing living creatures, stealing, and committing sexual misconduct. That’s how a true person has the action of a true person.

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mn110:22.1And how does a true person have the view of a true person? It’s when a true person has such a view: ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ That’s how a true person has the view of a true person.

mn110:23.1And how does a true person give the gifts of a true person? It’s when a true person gives a gift carefully, with their own hand, and thoughtfully. They don’t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences. That’s how a true person gives the gifts of a true person.

mn110:24.1That true person—who has such good qualities, is devoted to true persons, and has the intentions, counsel, speech, actions, views, and giving of a true person—when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the place where true persons are reborn. And what is the place where true persons are reborn? A state of greatness among gods or humans.”

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mn110:25.1That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā tadahuposathe pannarase puṇṇāya puṇṇamāya rattiyā bhikkhusaṅghaparivuto abbhokāse nisinno hoti. Atha kho bhagavā tuṇhībhūtaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ anuviloketvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

"jāneyya nu kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisaṁ: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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2"Sādhu, bhikkhave; aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti. Jāneyya pana, bhikkhave, asappuriso sappurisaṁ: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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3"Sādhu, bhikkhave; etampi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti.

Asappuriso, bhikkhave, assaddhammasamannāgato hoti, asappurisabhatti hoti, asappurisacintī hoti, asappurisamantī hoti, asappurisavāco hoti, asappurisakammanto hoti, asappurisadiṭṭhi hoti; asappurisadānaṁ deti.

4Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso assaddhammasamannāgato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso assaddho hoti, ahiriko hoti, anottappī hoti, appassuto hoti, kusīto hoti, muṭṭhassati hoti, duppañño hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso assaddhammasamannāgato hoti. (1)

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5Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisabhatti hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappurisassa ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā assaddhā ahirikā anottappino appassutā kusītā muṭṭhassatino duppaññā tyāssa mittā honti te sahāyā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisabhatti hoti. (2)

6Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisacintī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisacintī hoti. (3)

7Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisamantī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso attabyābādhāyapi manteti, parabyābādhāyapi manteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi manteti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisamantī hoti. (4)

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8Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisavāco hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso musāvādī hoti, pisuṇavāco hoti, pharusavāco hoti, samphappalāpī hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisavāco hoti. (5)

9Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisakammanto hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisakammanto hoti. (6)

10Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisadiṭṭhi hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso evaṁdiṭṭhi hoti: ‘Natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā, ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisadiṭṭhi hoti. (7)

11Kathañca, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisadānaṁ deti? Idha, bhikkhave, asappuriso asakkaccaṁ dānaṁ deti, asahatthā dānaṁ deti, acittīkatvā dānaṁ deti, apaviṭṭhaṁ dānaṁ deti anāgamanadiṭṭhiko dānaṁ deti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappuriso asappurisadānaṁ deti.

12So, bhikkhave, asappuriso evaṁ assaddhammasamannāgato, evaṁ asappurisabhatti, evaṁ asappurisacintī, evaṁ asappurisamantī, evaṁ asappurisavāco, evaṁ asappurisakammanto, evaṁ asappurisadiṭṭhi; evaṁ asappurisadānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā yā asappurisānaṁ gati tattha upapajjati. Kā ca, bhikkhave, asappurisānaṁ gati? Nirayo vā tiracchānayoni vā.

13Jāneyya nu kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisaṁ: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Evaṁ, bhante".

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14"Sādhu, bhikkhave; ṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti. Jāneyya pana, bhikkhave, sappuriso asappurisaṁ: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Evaṁ, bhante".

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15"Sādhu, bhikkhave; etampi kho, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti. Sappuriso, bhikkhave, saddhammasamannāgato hoti, sappurisabhatti hoti, sappurisacintī hoti, sappurisamantī hoti, sappurisavāco hoti, sappurisakammanto hoti, sappurisadiṭṭhi hoti; sappurisadānaṁ deti.

16Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso saddhammasamannāgato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso saddho hoti, hirimā hoti, ottappī hoti, bahussuto hoti, āraddhavīriyo hoti, upaṭṭhitassati hoti, paññavā hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso saddhammasamannāgato hoti. (1)

17Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisabhatti hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappurisassa ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhā hirimanto ottappino bahussutā āraddhavīriyā upaṭṭhitassatino paññavanto tyāssa mittā honti, te sahāyā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisabhatti hoti. (2)

18Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisacintī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso nevattabyābādhāya ceteti, na parabyābādhāya ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāya ceteti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisacintī hoti. (3)

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19Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisamantī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso nevattabyābādhāya manteti, na parabyābādhāya manteti, na ubhayabyābādhāya manteti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisamantī hoti. (4)

20Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisavāco hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisavāco hoti. (5)

21Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisakammanto hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisakammanto hoti. (6)

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22Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisadiṭṭhi hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso evaṁdiṭṭhi hoti: ‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ, atthi hutaṁ, atthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, atthi ayaṁ loko, atthi paro loko, atthi mātā, atthi pitā, atthi sattā opapātikā, atthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisadiṭṭhi hoti. (7)

23Kathañca, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisadānaṁ deti? Idha, bhikkhave, sappuriso sakkaccaṁ dānaṁ deti, sahatthā dānaṁ deti, cittīkatvā dānaṁ deti, anapaviṭṭhaṁ dānaṁ deti, āgamanadiṭṭhiko dānaṁ deti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappuriso sappurisadānaṁ deti. (8)

24So, bhikkhave, sappuriso evaṁ saddhammasamannāgato, evaṁ sappurisabhatti, evaṁ sappurisacintī, evaṁ sappurisamantī, evaṁ sappurisavāco, evaṁ sappurisakammanto, evaṁ sappurisadiṭṭhi; evaṁ sappurisadānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā yā sappurisānaṁ gati tattha upapajjati. Kā ca, bhikkhave, sappurisānaṁ gati? Devamahattatā vā manussamahattatā vā"ti.

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25Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.