Dutiyaavaṇṇārahasutta — Āvāsikavagga — the twenty-fourth chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
two paired five-item lists, hell then heaven
Length
~1.5 minutes to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — the second of a three-part trio
Why this discourse
The middle discourse of this trio, keeping AN 5.236's opening careless-judgment pair but replacing its remaining items with stinginess over monasteries and over patronage relationships — introducing this chapter's other recurring theme into the sequence.
Reading guide
Two items unchanged from AN 5.236
Praising, without examination, those who deserve criticism; and criticizing, without examination, those who deserve praise — the same opening diagnosis of careless public judgment.
Two new items: stinginess, introduced
In place of AN 5.236's remaining three items, this discourse names being stingy and avaricious regarding monasteries (āvāsamacchariya), and stingy and avaricious regarding families — the patronage relationships a mendicant depends on — already named in this project's earlier classical stinginess formula at AN 5.223–224.
A closing item retained
Wasting a gift given in faith closes this discourse's list too, exactly as in AN 5.236 — the one item shared by every discourse in this three-part trio.
Careless judgment and stinginess, a genuine combination
Read together, this discourse suggests two distinct failures — poor judgment about others, and possessive attachment to one's own resources — can compound each other in the same person, both landing on the same severe consequence.
Building toward the trio's fullest version
AN 5.238, immediately following, adds a third stinginess item — material things — continuing this trio's progressive expansion before AN 5.239–240 drop the judgment items entirely and complete the classical five-part stinginess list on its own.
Key terms
ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā — “without examining or scrutinizing” — unchanged from AN 5.236, the shared opening diagnosis.
āvāsamacchariya, āvāsapaligedhī — “stinginess and avarice regarding monasteries” — the first stinginess item introduced in this trio.
kulamacchariya, kulapaligedhī — “stinginess and avarice regarding families” — hoarding patronage relationships, the second stinginess item.
saddhādeyyaṁ vinipāteti — “wastes a gift given in faith” — the closing item, shared across all three discourses in this trio.
paligedhī — “avarice, greedy attachment” — an intensifier paired with each stinginess term in this discourse.
The text
The discourse in full: careless judgment paired with stinginess over monasteries and families. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five qualities placed in hell
§1“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there. What five? Without examining or scrutinizing, they praise those deserving of criticism, and they criticize those deserving of praise. They’re stingy and avaricious regarding monasteries. They’re stingy and avaricious regarding families. And they waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.
Five qualities placed in heaven
§2A resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there. What five? After examining and scrutinizing, they criticize those deserving of criticism, and they praise those deserving of praise. They’re not stingy and avaricious regarding monasteries. They’re not stingy and avaricious regarding families. And they don’t waste a gift given in faith. A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What two items does this discourse share unchanged with AN 5.236?
Correct: A. The same opening diagnosis of careless public judgment.
Question 2 of 10
What new theme does this discourse introduce, replacing AN 5.236's remaining items?
Correct: A. Already named in this project's earlier classical stinginess formula.
Question 3 of 10
Where else in this nipāta does this classical stinginess formula first appear?
Correct: A. The same underlying formula, now applied specifically to residents.
Question 4 of 10
What item closes every discourse in this three-part trio?
Correct: A. The one item shared across AN 5.236-238.
Question 5 of 10
What does 'āvāsapaligedhī' mean?
Correct: A. An intensifier paired with stinginess in this discourse.
Question 6 of 10
What does this discourse suggest about combining careless judgment with stinginess?
Correct: A. Poor judgment about others, and possessive attachment to resources.
Question 7 of 10
What does 'kulamacchariya' mean?
Correct: A. The second stinginess item in this discourse's list.
Question 8 of 10
What discourse follows, adding a third stinginess item?
Correct: A. Continuing this trio's progressive expansion.
Question 9 of 10
What eventually happens to the 'careless judgment' items later in this chapter?
Correct: A. A structural shift completing this chapter's build-up.
Question 10 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: A. 'A Resident Mendicant', this session's twenty-fourth chapter.
