“These three individuals are found in the world. “Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What three? Katame tayo? There is an individual you should be disgusted by, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. There is an individual you should regard with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. There is an individual you should associate with, accompany, and attend. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

Who is the individual you should be disgusted by, and not associate with, accompany, or attend? Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo? It’s an individual who is unethical, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, festering, and depraved. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto, assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño, abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño, antopūti avassuto kasambujāto. You should be disgusted by such an individual, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a bad reputation: Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘That individual has bad friends, companions, and associates.’ ‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti. They’re like a snake that’s been living in a pile of dung. Even if it doesn’t bite, it’ll still rub off on you. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ahi gūthagato kiñcāpi na daṁsati, atha kho naṁ makkheti; In the same way, even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a bad reputation: evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kiñcāpi evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘That individual has bad friends, companions, and associates.’ ‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti. That’s why you should be disgusted by such an individual, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

Who is the individual you should regard with equanimity, and not associate with, accompany, or attend? Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo? It’s an individual who is irritable and bad-tempered. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo, Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. They’re like a festering sore, which, when you hit it with a stick or a stone, discharges even more. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, duṭṭhāruko kaṭṭhena vā kaṭhalāya vā ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya āsavaṁ deti; In the same way, someone is irritable and bad-tempered. evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe… They’re like a firebrand of pale-moon ebony, which, when you hit it with a stick or a stone, sizzles and crackles even more. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tindukālātaṁ kaṭṭhena vā kaṭhalāya vā ghaṭṭitaṁ bhiyyoso mattāya cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati; In the same way, someone is irritable and bad-tempered. evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe… They’re like a sewer, which, when you stir it with a stick or a stone, stinks even more. seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gūthakūpo kaṭṭhena vā kaṭhalāya vā ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya duggandho hoti; In the same way, an individual is irritable and bad-tempered. evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo, Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. You should regard such an individual with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Thinking, ‘They might abuse or insult me, or do me harm.’ Akkoseyyapi maṁ paribhāseyyapi maṁ anatthampi maṁ kareyyāti. That’s why you should regard such an individual with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

Who is the individual you should associate with, accompany, and attend? Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo? It’s an individual who is ethical, of good character. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo. You should associate with, accompany, and attend such an individual. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a good reputation: Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘That individual has good friends, companions, and associates.’ ‘kalyāṇamitto purisapuggalo kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko’ti. That’s why you should associate with, accompany, and attend such an individual. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

These are the three individuals found in the world. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

A man who associates with an inferior goes downhill, Nihīyati puriso nihīnasevī, but associating with an equal, you’ll never decline; Na ca hāyetha kadāci tulyasevī; following the best, you’ll quickly rise up, Seṭṭhamupanamaṁ udeti khippaṁ, so you should keep company <j>with people better than you.” Tasmā attano uttariṁ bhajethā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.