Reading guide
The same three-item opening
Disparaging the talk, the speaker, and oneself — unchanged from AN 5.151.
Dullness, and false certainty
This discourse replaces AN 5.151's distraction and irrational attention with two different failures: being witless, dull, and idiotic, and thinking one knows what one doesn't (anaññāte aññātamānī).
A familiar epistemic vice, generalized
This same false certainty — adhimāna, overestimating one's attainment — was already flagged at AN 5.93 in a specifically spiritual context. Here it's stated more generally: believing oneself to know what one simply doesn't, applicable to any knowledge claim, not only claims about spiritual attainment.
The mirrored positive
Not disparaging the talk, speaker, or self; being wise, bright, and clever; and not overestimating one's own knowledge.
What comes next
AN 5.153 completes this three-discourse sequence with its most serious version: active hostility and even antagonism toward the teacher, not merely distraction or dullness.
Key terms
The text
Unable to step into the sure path
§1“Mendicants, someone with five qualities is unable to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities even when listening to the true teaching. What five? They disparage the talk, the speaker, or themselves. They’re witless, dull, and idiotic. They think they know what they don’t know. Someone with these five qualities is unable to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, even when listening to the true teaching.
Able to step into the sure path
§2Someone with five qualities is able to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching. What five? They don’t disparage the talk, the speaker, or themselves. They’re wise, bright, and clever. They don’t think they know what they don’t know. Someone with these five qualities is able to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching.”
Self-check quiz
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