The Buddha describes the three individuals—there is an individual you should be disgusted by, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them, there is an individual you should regard with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them, there is an individual you should associate with, accompany, and and attend.

AN 3.27 You Should be Disgusted

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto, assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño, abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño, antopūti avassuto kasambujāto. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ahi gūthagato kiñcāpi na daṁsati, atha kho naṁ makkheti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kiñcāpi evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo, appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, duṭṭhāruko kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya āsavaṁ deti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe… seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tindukālātaṁ kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭitaṁ bhiyyoso mattāya cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe… seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gūthakūpo kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya duggandho hoti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo, appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Akkoseyyapi maṁ paribhāseyyapi maṁ anatthampi maṁ kareyyāti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati: ‘kalyāṇamitto purisapuggalo kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko’ti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

Nihīyati puriso nihīnasevī,
Na ca hāyetha kadāci tulyasevī;
Seṭṭhamupanamaṁ udeti khippaṁ,
Tasmā attano uttariṁ bhajethā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“These three individuals are found in the world.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

There is an individual you should be disgusted by, 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 regard with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them.

Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

There is an individual you should associate with, accompany, and attend.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo?

Who is the individual you should be disgusted by, and not associate with, accompany, or attend?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto, assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño, abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño, antopūti avassuto kasambujāto.

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.

Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

You should be disgusted by such an individual, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati:

Even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a bad reputation:

‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti.

‘That individual has bad friends, companions, and associates.’

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ahi gūthagato kiñcāpi na daṁsati, atha kho naṁ makkheti;

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.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kiñcāpi evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati:

In the same way, even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a bad reputation:

‘pāpamitto purisapuggalo pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko’ti.

‘That individual has bad friends, companions, and associates.’

Tasmā evarūpo puggalo jigucchitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

That’s why you should be disgusted by such an individual, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo?

Who is the individual you should regard with equanimity, and not associate with, accompany, or attend?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo,

It’s an individual who is irritable and bad-tempered.

appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.

Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, duṭṭhāruko kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya āsavaṁ deti;

They’re like a festering sore, which, when you hit it with a stick or a stone, discharges even more.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe…

In the same way, someone is irritable and bad-tempered.

seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tindukālātaṁ kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭitaṁ bhiyyoso mattāya cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati;

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.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave …pe…

In the same way, someone is irritable and bad-tempered.

seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gūthakūpo kaṭṭhena kaṭhalāya ghaṭṭito bhiyyoso mattāya duggandho hoti;

They’re like a sewer, which, when you stir it with a stick or a stone, stinks even more.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo kodhano hoti upāyāsabahulo,

In the same way, an individual is irritable and bad-tempered.

appampi vutto samāno abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.

Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

You should regard such an individual with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Akkoseyyapi maṁ paribhāseyyapi maṁ anatthampi maṁ kareyyāti.

Thinking, ‘They might abuse or insult me, or do me harm.’

Tasmā evarūpo puggalo ajjhupekkhitabbo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo.

That’s why you should regard such an individual with equanimity, and you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend them.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo?

Who is the individual you should associate with, accompany, and attend?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo.

It’s an individual who is ethical, of good character.

Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

You should associate with, accompany, and attend such an individual.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Kiñcāpi, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa na diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati, atha kho naṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati:

Even if you don’t follow the example of such an individual, you still get a good reputation:

‘kalyāṇamitto purisapuggalo kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko’ti.

‘That individual has good friends, companions, and associates.’

Tasmā evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

That’s why you should associate with, accompany, and attend such an individual.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

These are the three individuals found in the world.

Nihīyati puriso nihīnasevī,

A man who associates with an inferior goes downhill,

Na ca hāyetha kadāci tulyasevī;

but associating with an equal, you’ll never decline;

Seṭṭhamupanamaṁ udeti khippaṁ,

following the best, you’ll quickly rise up,

Tasmā attano uttariṁ bhajethā”ti.

so you should keep company with people better than you.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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Cruelty

Cruelty

The wish to cause pain or the enjoyment of another’s suffering. Rooted in aversion and moral blindness, cruelty hardens the heart and erases compassion.

Also known as: abuse, hurting, fierceness, inhumanity, injuring, viciousness
Pāli: vihiṁsā
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Equanimity

Equanimity

A state of mental poise and balance, characterized by non-reactivity and composure in the face of agreeable or disagreeable experiences.

Also known as: mental poise, mental balance, equipose, non-reactivity, composure
Pāli: upekkha
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026