The Buddha describes the three individuals—someone easy to measure, someone hard to measure, and someone who is immeasurable, and who is the individual easy to measure?, it’s an individual who is restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, and with straying mind and undisciplined faculties.

AN 3.115 Immeasurable

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Suppameyyo, duppameyyo, appameyyo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo suppameyyo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo uddhato hoti unnaḷo capalo mukharo vikiṇṇavāco muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo suppameyyo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo anuddhato hoti anunnaḷo acapalo amukharo avikiṇṇavāco upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo appameyyo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ hoti khīṇāsavo. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo appameyyo.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Mendicants, these three individuals are found in the world.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Suppameyyo, duppameyyo, appameyyo.

Someone easy to measure, someone hard to measure, and someone who is immeasurable.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo suppameyyo?

And who is the individual easy to measure?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo uddhato hoti unnaḷo capalo mukharo vikiṇṇavāco muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo.

It’s an individual who is restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying mind and undisciplined faculties.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo suppameyyo.

This is called ‘an individual easy to measure’.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo?

And who is the individual hard to measure?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo anuddhato hoti anunnaḷo acapalo amukharo avikiṇṇavāco upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo.

It’s an individual who is not restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, or loose-tongued. They have established mindfulness, situational awareness and immersion, with unified mind and restrained faculties.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo.

This is called ‘an individual hard to measure’.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo appameyyo?

And who is the immeasurable individual?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ hoti khīṇāsavo.

It’s a mendicant who is perfected, and has ended defilements.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo appameyyo.

This is called ‘an immeasurable individual’.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These are the three individuals found in the world.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Collectedness

Collectedness

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated.

Also known as: mental composure, stability of mind, stillness of mind, concentration, undistracted awareness
Pāli: samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Last updated on July 27, 2026