Selections from The Sutta Nipata, Part 2 of 2

SECTION 5 [TO KUNDA]

“Buddha describes the four different kinds of Samanas [ascetics] to Kunda, the smith. ‘There are four (kinds of) Samanas [ascetics], (there is) not a fifth, O Kunda,’ – so said the Blessed One, – ‘these I will reveal to thee, being asked in person; (they are) Maggaginas and Maggadesakas, Maggagîvins and Maggadûsins.’

The Blessed One said: ‘He who has overcome doubt, is without pain, delights in Nirvana, is free from greed, a leader of the world of men and gods, such a one the Buddhas call a maggagina (that is, victorious by the way).’ ‘He who in this world having known the best (for example, Nirvana) as the best, expounds and explains here the Dharma, him, the doubt-cutting Muni, without desire, the second of the Bhikkhus [monks] they call a maggadesin (that is, teaching the way).’ ‘He who lives in the way that has so well been taught in the Dhammapada, and is restrained, attentive, cultivating blameless words, him the third of the Bhikshus [monks] they call a maggagîvin (that is, living in the way).’ ‘He who although counterfeiting the virtuous is forward, disgraces families, is impudent, deceitful, unrestrained, a babbler, walking in disguise, such a one is a maggadûsin (that is, defiling the way).’ ‘He who has penetrated these (four Samanas [ascetics]), who is a householder, possessed of knowledge, a pupil of the venerable ones, wise, having known that they all are such, – having seen so, his faith is not lost; for how could he make the undepraved equal to the depraved and the pure equal to the impure?’”