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AN 4.20

A Meal Assigner

Bhattuddesakasutta

from: 2. Walking

A Meal Assigner

“Mendicants, a meal assigner who has four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there. What four? They make decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal assigner who has these four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

A meal designator who has four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there. What four? They make decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal assigner who has these four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

All those people with unbridled sensuality,
unprincipled, with no respect for principle,
led astray <j>by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, or cowardice,
are called ‘an assembly of the dregs’:

that’s what was said by the ascetic who knows.
And so those praiseworthy true persons,
standing on principle, doing nothing wrong,
not led astray <j>by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, or cowardice,
are called ‘an assembly of the cream’:
that’s what was said by the ascetic who knows.”

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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