Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Hatthaka of Āḷavī has seven named qualities — faith, ethics, conscience, prudence, learning, generosity, and wisdom — and an eighth that isn't named directly at all: his own reluctance to have his good qualities made known to others, which the Buddha identifies as fewness of wishes, the eighth quality itself.
Seven qualities, stated and confirmed
Unlike the Ugga-pattern discourses just before it, this one opens with the Buddha naming all seven qualities directly and in full, which the visiting mendicant then repeats back to Hatthaka word for word, and Hatthaka confirms without elaboration.
A question that reveals the eighth quality
Hatthaka's only response to hearing his own seven qualities confirmed is to ask whether any lay people were present when the Buddha named them — relieved to learn none were. This single question, not any positive statement, is what reveals the quality the Buddha completes the list with.
Fewness of wishes, demonstrated rather than described
Rather than defining appicchatā, fewness of wishes, abstractly, this discourse lets Hatthaka demonstrate it directly: he doesn't want his own good qualities publicized, and that very not-wanting is what earns him the eighth and final place on a list the Buddha had originally left incomplete.
Key terms
The text
Seven qualities, named by the Buddha
§1At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, you should remember the householder Hatthaka of Āḷavī as someone who has seven amazing and incredible qualities. What seven? He’s faithful, ethical, conscientious, prudent, learned, generous, and wise. You should remember the householder Hatthaka of Āḷavī as someone who possesses these seven amazing and incredible qualities.” That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.
A mendicant confirms the list with Hatthaka
§2Then a certain mendicant robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Hatthaka of Āḷavī, where he sat on the seat spread out. Then Hatthaka went up to that mendicant, bowed, and sat down to one side. The mendicant said to Hatthaka: “Householder, the Buddha declared that you have seven amazing and incredible qualities. What seven? He said that you’re faithful, ethical, conscientious, prudent, learned, generous, and wise. The Buddha declared that you possess these seven amazing and incredible qualities.” “But sir, I trust that no white-clothed lay people were present?” “No, there weren’t any white-clothed lay people present.” “That’s good, sir.” Then that mendicant, after taking almsfood in Hatthaka of Āḷavī’s home, got up from his seat and left. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him of what he had discussed with the householder Hatthaka. The Buddha said:
The eighth quality, revealed
§3“Good, good, mendicant! That gentleman has few wishes. He doesn’t want his own good qualities to be made known to others. Well then, mendicant, you should remember the householder Hatthaka of Āḷavī as someone who has this eighth amazing and incredible quality, that is, fewness of wishes.”
Self-check quiz
6 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.