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Everyday life
The Chapter on Individuals (Book of Tens): Whom to Associate With, Attend and Honour
Dasahi bhikkhave dhammehi samannāgato puggalo sevitabbo
One standard, the ten kinds of rightness, decides whom to associate with, attend, venerate, praise and respect. The same standard then describes the person themselves: whether they are pure, overcome conceit, grow in wisdom and make much merit.
8 points
In the Puggala Vagga of the fourth fifty in the Book of Tens of the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the Buddha says that a person with wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, wrong knowledge and wrong freedom should not be associated with, while a person with these ten in their right form should be.
The text then abbreviates several further sets with "…", using the same ten as the standard: whether someone should be frequented, attended, venerated, praised, respected and revered, and whether they are pleasing. It continues with sets about the person themselves: whether they are pure, whether they overcome conceit, whether they grow in wisdom, and whether they make much merit or much demerit.
The Pāli Siam edition notes that these suttas are to be counted in the abbreviated (peyyāla) manner.
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1
One standard, ten points Sammādiṭṭhiko hoti
The person to associate with has right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge and right freedom. The person not to associate with has these ten in their wrong form.
Applying it in daily lifeBefore taking someone as a role model, look at how they earn their living, how they speak and how they see the world, rather than at their follower count or income.
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2
Associating and frequenting Bhajitabbo
A person with the ten wrong qualities should not be associated with or frequented; a person with the ten right qualities should be.
Applying it in daily lifeNotice whether, after spending time with someone, your speech gets harsher or dishonest ideas come more easily. That shows where the relationship is taking you.
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3
Whom to attend closely Payirupāsitabbo
The next set concerns who should and should not be attended closely, using the same ten qualities.
Applying it in daily lifeUse this standard when choosing a mentor, teacher or boss to learn from up close, because attending someone closely means absorbing both their knowledge and their habits.
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4
Whom to venerate and praise Pāsaṃso hoti
A person with the ten right qualities is worthy of veneration and praise; a person with the ten wrong qualities is not.
Applying it in daily lifeBefore sharing or praising someone publicly, ask what exactly you are praising. Praising someone whose success came from exploiting others tells people that path is worth following.
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5
Whom to respect and revere Sagāravo hoti
The Thai Royal Edition renders this set as: one with the wrong qualities is not to be respected or revered; one with the right qualities is to be respected and revered.
Applying it in daily lifeRespect need not be tied only to rank or age. We can be courteous to everyone, but wholehearted respect should go to right conduct.
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6
Pure or impure Visujjhati
The next set no longer asks how we should treat the person, but says of the person themselves: with the wrong qualities they are not pure; with the right qualities they are pure.
Applying it in daily lifeUse the ten as a mirror for yourself before others. Pick one that is still weak, such as right speech, and give it special attention this week.
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7
Overcoming conceit and growing in wisdom Mānaṃ adhibhoti
One with the wrong qualities does not overcome conceit and does not grow in wisdom; one with the right qualities overcomes conceit and grows in wisdom.
Applying it in daily lifeIf you feel you must win every argument, look again at your own right view and right intention. Conceit tends to shrink when we care more about the truth than about being right.
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8
Making much merit Bahuṃ puññaṃ pasavati
The final set is given in full: one with the ten wrong qualities makes much demerit; one with the ten right qualities makes much merit.
Applying it in daily lifeMerit here isn't only about going to the temple. Earning an honest living and speaking rightly every day is making merit all the time.
Try it in daily life
Today we choose our company not only in person but also in whom we follow, like, share and hold up as models online. This passage gives a standard that doesn't depend on fame, wealth or talent, but on a person's views, speech, conduct and livelihood.
The standard is for choosing role models, not for despising or cutting people off without kindness. We can be helpful and generous to everyone, but those we draw close to in order to learn from and honour should be chosen well.
The final sets turn back to us. The same ten we use to look at others are what make us pure, reduce our conceit and help us grow in wisdom.
Sources in the Tipiṭaka
Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.
- Puggala Vagga, Book of Tens Thai Royal Edition · Volume 24 · page 222 Whom to associate with, frequent, attend, venerate, praise and respect, and the effect on the person, judged by the ten kinds of rightness
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