The Buddha contrasts mendicants disliked and admired by their spiritual companions, each defined by eight qualities of conduct, conscience, and view.

AN 8.3 Disliked (1st)

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu appiyapasaṁsī ca hoti, piyagarahī ca, lābhakāmo ca, sakkārakāmo ca, ahiriko ca, anottappī ca, pāpiccho ca, micchādiṭṭhi ca. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na appiyapasaṁsī ca hoti, na piyagarahī ca, na lābhakāmo ca, na sakkārakāmo ca, hirīmā ca hoti, ottappī ca, appiccho ca, sammādiṭṭhi ca. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

“Mendicants, a mendicant with eight qualities is disliked and disapproved by their spiritual companions, not respected or admired.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

What eight?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu appiyapasaṁsī ca hoti, piyagarahī ca, lābhakāmo ca, sakkārakāmo ca, ahiriko ca, anottappī ca, pāpiccho ca, micchādiṭṭhi ca.

It’s when a mendicant praises the disliked and criticizes the liked. They desire material things and honor. They lack conscience and prudence. They have corrupt wishes and wrong view.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

A mendicant with these eight qualities is disliked and disapproved by their spiritual companions, not respected or admired.

Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.

A mendicant with eight qualities is liked and approved by their spiritual companions, and respected and admired.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

What eight?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na appiyapasaṁsī ca hoti, na piyagarahī ca, na lābhakāmo ca, na sakkārakāmo ca, hirīmā ca hoti, ottappī ca, appiccho ca, sammādiṭṭhi ca.

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t praise the disliked and criticize the liked. They don’t desire material things and honor. They have conscience and prudence. They have few desires and right view.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.

A mendicant with these eight qualities is liked and approved by their spiritual companions, and respected and admired.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Conscience

Conscience

An inner moral sensitivity that shrinks from wrongdoing out of self-respect and personal integrity. It is the voice within that knows what is beneath one's dignity, guarding conduct through an inward standard of honor.

Also known as: with sense of right and wrong, sense of shame, modesty, (comm) originating from inside
Pāli: hirī
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026