Atha kho potaliyo paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho potaliyaṁ paribbājakaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
Then the wanderer Potaliya approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One. After having engaged in courteous and polite conversation, he sat to one side. As he was seated to one side, the Blessed One addressed him:
“Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?
“Potaliya, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
Idha, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
1.) Here, Potaliya, a certain person |criticizes::dispraises, blames [avaṇṇa]| someone |who is worthy of criticism::blameworthy, who is not worthy of praise [avaṇṇāraha]|, speaking what is |accurate::correct, found to be existing [bhūta]|, |actual::as it is, real [taccha]| and |at the right time::at an appropriate moment [kālena]|; yet he does not offer |praise::approval [vaṇṇa]| to someone who is |worthy of praise::deserving approval [vaṇṇāraha]|, even when the praise would be accurate, actual, and timely.
Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
2.) Then, Potaliya, a certain person offers praise to someone who is worthy of praise, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time; yet he does not speak in criticism of someone who is worthy of criticism, even when the criticism would be accurate, actual, and timely.
Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
3.) Then, Potaliya, a certain person does not speak in criticism of someone who is worthy of criticism, even when the criticism would be accurate, actual, and timely; nor does he offer praise to someone who is worthy of praise, even when the praise would be accurate, actual, and timely.
Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
4.) Then, Potaliya, a certain person criticizes someone who is worthy of criticism, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time; and he offers praise to someone who is worthy of praise, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time.
Ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ katamo te puggalo khamati abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro cā”ti?
These, Potaliya, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world. Now, of these four kinds of persons, Potaliya, which one seems to you the |most excellent::more excellent [than], more brilliant [than] [abhikkantatara]| and the |most sublime::more refined [than] [paṇītatara]|?”
“Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ upekkhā”ti.
“There are, sir Gotama, these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. ... Of these four kinds of persons, the one who seems to me the most excellent and the most sublime is the person who neither speaks in criticism of someone who is worthy of criticism, even when the criticism would be accurate, actual, and timely; nor offers praise to someone who is worthy of praise, even when the praise would be accurate, actual, and timely. For what reason? Because what is most surpassing, sir Gotama, is |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|.”
“Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro …pe… ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, potaliya, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā”ti.
“There are, Potaliya, these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. ... Of these four kinds of persons, the one who is the most excellent and the most sublime is the person who both criticizes someone who is worthy of criticism, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time; and offers praise to someone who is worthy of praise, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time. For what reason? Because, Potaliya, what is most surpassing is precisely knowing the |appropriateness::knowledge of the right time [kālaññutā]| |in each situation::in each and every situation [tattha tattha]|.”
“Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro …pe… ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā.
“There are, sir Gotama, these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. ... Of these four kinds of persons, the one who seems to me the most excellent and the most sublime is the person who both criticizes someone who is worthy of criticism, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time; and offers praise to someone who is worthy of praise, speaking what is accurate, actual, and at the right time. For what reason? Because what is most surpassing, sir Gotama, is precisely knowing the appropriateness in each situation.
Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Excellent, sir Gotama! Excellent, sir Gotama! Just as if one might set upright what had been overturned, |reveal::uncover [vivarati]| what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, sir Gotama, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| has been |explained::illustrated [pakāsita]| by you in many ways. I go for refuge to the venerable Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. May the venerable Gotama remember me as a lay follower who, from this day forward, has gone to refuge for life.”