The Buddha teaches on broken (2nd), presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.4 Broken (2nd)

“Catūsu, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamesu catūsu? Mātari, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Pitari, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgate, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgatasāvake, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Imesu kho, bhikkhave, catūsu micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

Catūsu, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati. Katamesu catūsu? Mātari, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati. Pitari, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgate, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgatasāvake, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati. Imesu kho, bhikkhave, catūsu sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatīti.

Mātari pitari cāpi,
yo micchā paṭipajjati;
Tathāgate sambuddhe,
atha tassa sāvake;
Bahuñca so pasavati,
apuññaṁ tādiso naro.

Tāya naṁ adhammacariyāya,
Mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;
Idheva naṁ garahanti,
Peccāpāyañca gacchati.

Mātari pitari cāpi,
yo sammā paṭipajjati;
Tathāgate sambuddhe,
atha tassa sāvake;
Bahuñca so pasavati,
puññaṁ etādiso naro.

Tāya naṁ dhammacariyāya,
mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;
Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Catūsu, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

“When a foolish, incompetent untrue person acts wrongly toward four individuals they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

Katamesu catūsu?

What four?

Mātari, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

Mother …

Pitari, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgate, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgatasāvake, bhikkhave, micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

father … a Realized One … and a disciple of a Realized One.

Imesu kho, bhikkhave, catūsu micchā paṭipajjamāno bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

When a foolish, incompetent untrue person acts wrongly toward these four individuals they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

Catūsu, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati.

When an astute, competent true person acts rightly toward four individuals they keep themselves intact and unscathed. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.

Katamesu catūsu?

What four?

Mātari, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati.

Mother …

Pitari, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgate, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno …pe… tathāgatasāvake, bhikkhave, sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati.

father … a Realized One … and a disciple of a Realized One.

Imesu kho, bhikkhave, catūsu sammā paṭipajjamāno paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatīti.

When an astute, competent true person acts rightly toward these four individuals they keep themselves intact and unscathed. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.

Mātari pitari cāpi,

A person who does wrong

yo micchā paṭipajjati;

by their mother or father,

Tathāgate sambuddhe,

or a Realized One, a Buddha,

atha tassa sāvake;

or one of their disciples,

Bahuñca so pasavati,

brims with much wickedness.

apuññaṁ tādiso naro.

Tāya naṁ adhammacariyāya,

Because of their unprincipled conduct

Mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;

toward their parents,

Idheva naṁ garahanti,

they’re criticized in this life by the astute,

Peccāpāyañca gacchati.

and they depart to be reborn in a place of loss.

Mātari pitari cāpi,

A person who does right

yo sammā paṭipajjati;

by their mother and father,

Tathāgate sambuddhe,

or a Realized One, a Buddha,

atha tassa sāvake;

or one of their disciples,

Bahuñca so pasavati,

brims with much merit.

puññaṁ etādiso naro.

Tāya naṁ dhammacariyāya,

Because of their principled conduct

mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;

toward their parents,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,

they’re praised in this life by the astute,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

and they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Merit

Merit

Wholesome result of good conduct, generosity, and right intention. Merit brightens the mind and supports happiness and favorable conditions for practice.

Also known as: good deeds, spiritual wealth
Pāli: puñña, kalyāṇa
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Recollection of the Buddha

Recollection of the Buddha

A mental quality of reflecting on the qualities of the Buddha, which counters doubt and strengthens faith.

Also known as: recollection of Buddha, mindfulness of the Buddha, reflection on the qualities of the Buddha
Pāli: buddhānussati, buddhānusmṛti
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Unprincipled conduct

Unprincipled conduct

Conduct that disregards moral restraint and ignores the consequences of harm done to oneself or others through body or speech. Such behavior clouds the mind and leads to regret and further decline.

Also known as: lacking in moral principles, lacking in ethics, immoral, wrong action
Pāli: dussīlya, micchākammanta
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Last updated on July 27, 2026