The Book of the Fours

Both the Buddha and his disciples have been reborn for a long time due to ignorance.

Without morality, convergence, wisdom, and freedom, one has fallen from the teaching.

After reflection, you should criticize those worthy or criticism, and praise those worthy of praise.

You harm yourself by acting badly towards parents, the Buddha, and spiritual practitioners.

A person who goes with the stream; a person who goes against the stream; a stable person; and one who has crossed over.

Learning the texts and getting the point of learning.

A monk, nun, laywoman, and layman who light up the Saṅgha.

Because of his spiritual attainments and practice, a Buddha is supremely self-confident.

Sources of craving for mendicants.

The yokes of sensual pleasures, future lives, views, and ignorance.

A mendicant gets rid of unwholesome states right away, in whatever posture they happen to be in.

Morality and further practice of eliminating hindrances in all postures.

The four right efforts: to prevent, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

The endeavors to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

The foremost in body, sensuality, dominion, and spiritual development.

Subtlety of form, feeling, perception, and choices.

Making decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.

Making decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.

Making decisions prejudiced and unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.

Allocating meals prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.

Who should the Buddha revere?

What qualifies you as a senior.

Why the Buddha is called the Realized One.

The Buddha knows what can be known, and remains poised in the midst of the world.

This spiritual life is lived for the sake of restraint, giving up, fading away, and stopping.

Mendicants who are deceivers, stubborn, flatterers, frauds, insolent, and scattered: they are no mendicants of the Buddha.

A mendicant should be content with trifles that are easy to get hold of.

Contentment with any old robe, alms-food, lodgings, and love of meditation: these are ancient traditions of the noble ones.

Contentment, good will, mindfulness and convergence are basic principles.

A discussion with some wanderers on the basic principles.

Living in a suitable region, relying on good people, right determination, and past good karma.

Inclusiveness through giving, kind speech, taking care, and impartiality.

A lion’s roar terrifies beasts. The Buddha’s teaching terrifies the gods.

Confidence in the Buddha, the path, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha are the best kinds of confidence.

A great man as understood by brahmins and by the Buddha.

The brahmin Doṇa is filled with wonder when he sees the Buddha’s footprints.

A mendicant who has morality, guards the sense doors, eats in moderation, and is committed to wakefulness can’t decline.

A mendicant has eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has tranquilized bodily activity, and is said to be ‘withdrawn’.

The Buddha criticizes violent sacrifice, but not non-violent giving.

The Buddha criticizes violent sacrifice, but not non-violent giving.

Developing convergence for pleasure, understanding, mindfulness, and ending defilements.

Answering questions definitively, analytically, with a counter-question, or setting it aside.

Valuing anger, or denigration, or material possessions, or honor, or valuing the true teaching.

Valuing anger, or denigration, or material possessions, or honor, or valuing the true teaching.

The god Rohitassa tells how he tried to go to the end of the world.

The Buddha relates the story of Rohitassa.

The sky and earth and very far apart. What’s further apart?

The Buddha praises the teaching of the monk Visākha.

Distortions of perception, mind, and view.

Four things obscure the sun and moon, so they don’t shine and glow and radiate. And four things corrupt mendicants: alcohol, sex, money, wrong livelihood.

When a mendicant meditates using an offering, merit overflows for the donor.

When a mendicant has confidence and morality, merit overflows for the donor.

Living with gods and zombies.

Living with gods and zombies.

How a married couple can stay together in this life and the next.

How a married couple can stay together in this life and the next.

Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

A lay disciple serves the mendicant Saṅgha with robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines.

Four things that are desirable, but hard to get; and how to get them through deeds of substance.

The happiness of ownership, using wealth, debtlessness, and blamelessness.

A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with Brahmā.

Breaking precepts leads to hell.

Estimating others based on appearance, voice, austerity, and principle.

The greedy, the hateful, the delusional, and the conceited.

Spreading loving-kindness to snakes and other creatures.

Possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.

The endeavors to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

Corruption of the realm follows corruption of the king.

Sure bets: morality, learning, energy, and wisdom.

Sure bets: thoughts of renunciation, good will, and kindness; and right view.

Speaking well and ill of others.

The best morality, convergence, wisdom, and freedom.

The best form, feeling, perception, and state of existence.

As he lay dying, the Buddha encouraged his disciples to ask any last questions.

If you try to think about these things you will go mad or get frustrated.

Four ways of purifying an offering to a teacher.

Why for different people the same kind of business undertaking might fail or succeed.

Ānanda asks the Buddha why females don’t attend council meetings, undertake business, or travel to Persia.

Precepts lead to heaven or hell.

Wrong or right speech leads to heaven or hell.

Criticizing and praising leads to heaven or hell.

Valuing defilements above the Dharma leads to hell.

The dark bound for darkness, the dark bound for light, the light bound for darkness, and the light bound for light.

One sunk low who sinks lower, one sunk low who rises high, one risen high who sinks low, and one risen high who rises higher.

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the refined ascetic of ascetics.

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the refined ascetic of ascetics.

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the refined ascetic of ascetics.

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the refined ascetic of ascetics.

Demons and gods.

Serenity and discernment.

Serenity and discernment should be developed.

To develop serenity and discernment, you should ask experienced practitioners.

Practice to help yourself and others.

Practice to help yourself and others.

Practice to help yourself and others.

Practice to help yourself and others.

Practice to help yourself and others.

Which is better: appropriate praise and criticism, or equanimity?

Four people similar to clouds.

Four people similar to clouds.

Four people similar to pots.

Four people similar to ponds.

Four people similar to mangoes.

This is a ghost sutta: there is no text for it in any available editions. However, the summary verse at the end of the chapter (AN 4.110) mentions “two on mangoes”. The commentary notes the existence of a discourse here, but merely says that its meaning is clear. A note in the VRI edition says that there is a reading that has obhāsa where the previous sutta has vaṇṇa.

Four people similar to mice.

Four people similar to oxen.

Four people similar to trees.

Four people similar to vipers.

Guiding people like horses: sometimes, strictly, sometimes gently. And sometimes you have to kill them.

A mendicant is like a king’s thoroughbred.

A thoroughbred responds when it sees the goad. So does a mendicant.

A mendicant is like a king’s elephant.

Things that are pleasant or unpleasant, harmful or beneficial.

Don’t neglect good conduct.

Practice in your own way.

Four inspiring places to visit.

The perils of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

The perils of fire, water, kings, and bandits.

The fears of guilt, shame, punishment, and rebirth in a bad place.

The risks of waves, crocodiles, whirlpools, and sharks.

Length of rebirth in various exalted realms.

Contemplating jhānas with wisdom.

Rebirth in Brahmā realms from divine abiding meditations.

Contemplating divine abiding meditations with wisdom.

The Buddha illuminates even interstellar space, so that beings reborn there see each other.

Even in a world full of attachment, people listen to the Buddha’s teaching.

Monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen love to hear Dharma from Ānanda.

Monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen love to hear Dharma from Ānanda.

People who have given up various fetters.

Speaking on topic and fluently.

One who understands immediately, one who understands after detailed explanation, one who needs personal guidance, and one who merely learns by rote.

Living on the fruit of effort or of past karma.

The blameworthy, the mostly blameworthy, the slightly blameworthy, and the blameless.

Fulfilling morality, convergence, and wisdom.

Valuing morality, convergence, and wisdom.

Retreat of body and mind.

Good and bad Dharma speakers, and their followings.

Having things to say, and saying them well.

The brightness of the moon, sun, fire, and wisdom.

The radiance of the moon, sun, fire, and wisdom.

The lights of the moon, sun, fire, and wisdom.

The shining of the moon, sun, fire, and wisdom.

The lamps of the moon, sun, fire, and wisdom.

A time for listening to the teaching, a time for discussing the teaching, a time for serenity, and a time for discernment.

A time for listening to the teaching, a time for discussing the teaching, a time for serenity, and a time for discernment.

Speech that’s lying, divisive, harsh, or meaningless.

Speech that’s true, harmonious, gentle, and meaningful.

Morality, convergence, wisdom, and freedom are essentials.

The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, and convergence.

The powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, and convergence.

The powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

The powers of mindfulness, convergence, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

The powers of reflection, development, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

It’s not easy to measure the length of an eon.

Physical health is easier than mental health.

Signs of decline: much greed, much hate, and much delusion; and wisdom doesn’t go deep.

A nun fakes illness as a pretext to seduce Ānanda.

Things that lead to the disappearance of the Dharma.

Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleasant practice with swift insight: in brief.

Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleasant practice with swift insight: in detail.

Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleasant practice with swift insight: in detail.

Impatient practice, patient practice, taming practice, and calming practice.

Impatient practice, patient practice, taming practice, and calming practice.

Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleasant practice with swift insight: which is best?

Sāriputta and Moggallāna discuss their practice.

Sāriputta and Moggallāna discuss their practice.

Getting awakened either with or without extra effort.

Ways of practicing serenity and discernment.

Intention and its results.

Sāriputta realized the four kinds of textual analysis a fortnight after he ordained.

When the senses end, is there anything left? Or is that just proliferation?

When the senses end, is there anything left? Or is that just proliferation?

A “terminator” is someone who has made an end of suffering. But are they defined by knowledge or conduct?

Leading examples for the four assemblies.

A teaching to Rāhula, the Buddha’s son, on the four elements.

Meditative attainments don’t always lead to letting go of the attachment to self.

Why only some people realize Nirvana in this life.

How to determine what is an authentic teaching of the Buddha.

How a mendicant is like a warrior.

There are some things no-one can guarantee.

What we say should never go beyond what we know; but it must also be meaningful.

Not everyone is afraid to die.

The Buddha redefines the truths of the brahmins.

A monk asks a series of questions, which are praised by the Buddha.

The Buddha explains to Vassakāra how only a good person can judge others. Meanwhile, the followers of Todeyya complain about the King.

If you criticize someone, you should have a good reason.

Different things are realized in different ways.

On the Uposatha night, the Buddha praises monks of great spiritual attainments in the Saṅgha.

The benefits in the next life of studying Dharma in this life.

Ways of assessing a person’s morality, integrity, resilience, and wisdom.

The Buddha is accused of using magic to convert followers.

Making an effort to be pure in morality, mind, view, and freedom.

A discussion with a Jain on whether someone with purified understanding can experience the results of bad karma in the next life.

The practice of self-torture doesn’t purify you internally.

Queen Mallikā asks about the karmic causes of beauty, wealth, and power.

Those who torture themselves and others, and those who do not.

The web of craving that wraps around the self.

How love and hate give rise to love and hate; and how one doesn’t fume, ignite, or burn up.

A good person keeps precepts—including avoiding alcohol—for themselves, while a better person encourages others as well.

A good person has faith and other good qualities, while a better person encourages others to develop these.

A good person keeps precepts—including avoiding various kinds of wrong speech—for themselves, while a better person encourages others as well.

A good person practices the ten ways of wholesome deeds for themselves, while a better person encourages others as well.

A good person practices the eightfold path for themselves, while a better person encourages others as well.

A good person practices the tenfold path for themselves, while a better person encourages others as well.

It’s good to practice the ten ways of wholesome deeds and to encourage others.

It’s good to practice the tenfold path and to encourage others.

It’s good character to practice the ten ways of wholesome deeds and to encourage others.

It’s good character to practice the tenfold path and to encourage others.

Good people light up an assembly.

Conduct and view determine rebirth.

Conduct and gratitude determine rebirth.

Precepts determine rebirth.

Initial path factors determine rebirth.

Subsequent path factors determine rebirth.

Truth and untruth determine rebirth.

Truth and untruth determine rebirth.

Faith and other qualities determine rebirth.

Faith and other qualities determine rebirth.

Good speech and bad speech.

Things that keep you spiritually healthy, including view.

Things that keep you spiritually healthy, including gratitude.

Four kinds of poets.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither.

A brahmin accuses the Buddha of being an annihilationist.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither, explained with the precepts.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither, explained with the grave violations and the paths of wholesome deeds.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither, explained with the noble eightfold path.

Karma that’s dark, bright, both, and neither, explained with the awakening factors.

Blameworthy or blameless deeds and view determine rebirth.

Hurtful or pleasing deeds and view determine rebirth.

Four kinds of ascetics found only in the Buddha’s teaching.

Relying on a good person brings four benefits.

A bad monk enjoys schism in the Saṅgha.

A mendicant fears offenses just as someone would fear punishment.

How training benefits, wisdom oversees, freedom is the heart, and mindfulness is in charge.

How a corpse, a hedonist, a lion, and a Buddha go to sleep.

Four people worthy of a pagoda.

Four things lead to the growth of wisdom.

Four things helpful for human beings.

Four kinds of ignoble expression by saying you don’t know what you do know.

Four kinds of noble expression by saying you don’t know what you don’t know.

Four kinds of ignoble expression by saying you do know what you don’t know.

Four kinds of noble expression by saying you do know what you do know.

Things that are to be fully known, given up, developed, and realized through insight.

Noble and ignoble searches.

How to gather and sustain a community.

An old monk asks for advice before his retreat.

Why families lose wealth.

How a mendicant is like a fine thoroughbred.

How a mendicant is like a fine thoroughbred.

Four spiritual powers.

Things that make you unfit for living secluded in the wilderness.

Blameworthy and blameless deeds.

Killing leads to hell, not killing leads to heaven.

Stealing leads to hell, not stealing leads to heaven.

Sexual misconduct leads to hell, not committing sexual misconduct leads to heaven.

Lying leads to hell, truth leads to heaven.

Divisive speech leads to hell, harmonious speech leads to heaven.

Harsh speech leads to hell, kind speech leads to heaven.

Talking nonsense leads to hell, meaningful speech leads to heaven.

Covetousness leads to hell, contentment leads to heaven.

Ill will leads to hell, love leads to heaven.

Wrong view leads to hell, right view leads to heaven.

Develop insight into greed through the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

Develop insight into greed through the four right efforts.

Develop insight into greed through the four bases of psychic power.

Develop complete understanding, etc., of greed.

Develop complete understanding, etc., of hate, etc.