Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Ten kinds of individual exist in the world, distinguished not simply by whether they are ethical, lustful, irritable, or restless, but by whether they have truly understood the freedom that ends those very qualities — and since surface behavior alone cannot reveal which is which, only a Realized One can judge between them.
A puzzle no one but the Buddha can resolve
Migasālā's question is not naive in the way the Buddha's later remark suggests: her father Purāṇa was chaste and her uncle Isidatta was not, yet both died as once-returners reborn in the same heavenly host — a genuine puzzle that even Ānanda, unable to answer, must carry directly to the Buddha rather than resolve himself.
Same surface trait, opposite destinations
The ten-part classification pairs five surface conditions (unethical, ethical, very lustful, irritable, restless) each with two possible inner states: lacking true understanding of the freedom that ends that trait, or possessing it — two people who look identical from outside can be heading to entirely different destinations, precisely Migasālā's original puzzle answered in full generality.
A sharp, twice-repeated warning against judgment
The Buddha's conclusion is stated almost verbatim twice within the discourse: don't be judgmental about individuals, don't pass judgment on individuals, those who do so harm themselves — only someone like the Buddha himself may judge, because only he can see the invisible inner difference that determines the outcome.
Key terms
The text
A laywoman's puzzle
§1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the laywoman Migasālā, where he sat on the seat spread out. Then the laywoman Migasālā went up to Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Honorable Ānanda, how on earth are we supposed to understand the teaching taught by the Buddha, when the chaste and the unchaste are both reborn in exactly the same place in the next life? My father Purāṇa was chaste, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex. When he passed away the Buddha declared that, since he was a once-returner, he was reborn in the host of joyful gods. But my uncle Isidatta was not chaste; he lived content with his wife. When he passed away the Buddha also declared that, since he was a once-returner, he was reborn in the host of joyful gods. How on earth are we supposed to understand the teaching taught by the Buddha, when the chaste and the unchaste are both reborn in exactly the same place in the next life?” “You’re right, sister, but that’s how the Buddha declared it.” Then Ānanda, after receiving almsfood at Migasālā’s home, rose from his seat and left. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, Ānanda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
Ten individuals, two by two
§2“Ānanda, who is this laywoman Migasālā, a foolish incompetent aunty, with an aunty’s wit? And who is it that knows how to assess individual persons? These ten individuals are found in the world. What ten? Take a certain individual who is unethical. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that unethical conduct ceases without remainder. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher. Take a certain individual who is unethical. But they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that unethical conduct ceases without remainder. And they have listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower. Judgmental people compare them, saying: ‘This one has just the same qualities as the other, so why is one worse and one better?’ This will be for their lasting harm and suffering. In this case, the individual who is unethical, but truly understands the freedom of heart … and has listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom is better and finer than the other individual. Why is that? Because the stream of the teaching carries them along. But who knows the difference between them except a Realized One? So, Ānanda, don’t be judgmental about individuals. Don’t pass judgment on individuals. Those who pass judgment on individuals harm themselves. I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on people. Take a certain individual who is ethical. But they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that ethical conduct ceases without remainder. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher. Take a certain individual who is ethical. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that ethical conduct ceases without remainder. And they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower. Judgmental people compare them … I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals. Take a certain individual who is very lustful. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that lust ceases without remainder. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher. Take a certain individual who is very lustful. But they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that lust ceases without remainder. And they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower. Judgmental people compare them … I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals. Take a certain individual who is irritable. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that anger ceases without remainder. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher. Take a certain individual who is irritable. But they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that anger ceases without remainder. And they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower. Judgmental people compare them … I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals. Take a certain individual who is restless. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that restlessness ceases without remainder. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher. Take a certain individual who is restless. But they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where that restlessness ceases without remainder. And they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower. Judgmental people compare them, saying: ‘This one has just the same qualities as the other, so why is one worse and one better?’ This will be for their lasting harm and suffering. In this case the individual who is restless, but truly understands the freedom of heart … and has listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found at least temporary freedom is better and finer than the other individual. Why is that? Because the stream of the teaching carries them along. But who knows the difference between them except a Realized One? So, Ānanda, don’t be judgmental about individuals. Don’t pass judgment on individuals. Those who pass judgment on individuals harm themselves. I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals.
Closing: neither was complete
§3Who is this laywoman Migasālā, a foolish incompetent aunty, with an aunty’s wit? And who is it that knows how to assess individual persons? These ten individuals are found in the world. If Isidatta had achieved Purāṇa’s level of ethical conduct, Purāṇa could not have even known Isidatta’s destination. And if Purāṇa had achieved Isidatta’s level of wisdom, Isidatta could not have even known Purāṇa’s destination. So both individuals were lacking in one respect.”
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