The Buddha teaches on deserving criticism (3rd), presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.238 Deserving Criticism (3rd)

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye. Katamehi pañcahi? Ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; āvāsamaccharī hoti; kulamaccharī hoti; lābhamaccharī hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge. Katamehi pañcahi? Anuvicca pariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; anuvicca pariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; na āvāsamaccharī hoti; na kulamaccharī hoti; na lābhamaccharī hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati;

Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism,

ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati;

and they criticize those deserving of praise.

āvāsamaccharī hoti;

They’re stingy regarding monasteries,

kulamaccharī hoti;

families,

lābhamaccharī hoti.

and material things.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge.

A resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Anuvicca pariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati;

After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism,

anuvicca pariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati;

and they praise those deserving of praise.

na āvāsamaccharī hoti;

They’re not stingy regarding monasteries,

na kulamaccharī hoti;

families,

na lābhamaccharī hoti.

and material things.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026