Posiya — The Book of the Ones · Chapter Four · Poem 4 of 10
Setting
A journey from village to wilderness, then into a house where Posiya had gone to be fed
Speaker
An unnamed voice stating a general principle, then Posiya himself, named at the verse's close
Form
One six-line verse
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — a concrete, specific incident rather than a general statement
Why this text
This verse traces an actual sequence of movement — village, wilderness, then a house Posiya entered to be fed — before ending on a decisive, specific action: he got up and left without taking leave, rather than remain in a situation the verse's opening lines describe as best avoided.
Reading guide
A specific incident, not only a general statement
Where many verses in this collection state a principle and stop there, this one traces a real itinerary — from village to wilderness to a particular house — giving its instruction narrative particularity rather than leaving it abstract.
A named, decisive action at the close
The verse's final line names Posiya directly, in the third person, at the exact moment of his decision: ‘he got up and left without taking leave, Posiya’ — the same technique of self-naming at a verse's climax already seen with Dabba and Vīra in Chapter One.
A principle about monastic boundaries, dramatized in action
The verse opens by stating that a discerning person is better off avoiding close proximity to women in certain settings, then shows Posiya himself acting on that principle at once, choosing to leave an awkward situation abruptly rather than remain in it — instruction shown through action, not only stated.
Key terms
anāsanna — “not sitting close” — the verse's opening principle about avoiding proximity.
vijānat — “one who discerns” or “knows” — describing the person this principle applies to.
gāma — “village” — the starting point of Posiya's itinerary in this verse.
arañña — “wilderness” — the second stage of his journey, before entering the house.
anāmantetvā — “without informing” or “without taking leave” — describing how abruptly Posiya departed.
The text
The text in full: one verse, with no separate attribution line in this chapter. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1It’s always better for a smart person to avoid sharing a seat with such women. I went from the village to the wilderness; from there I entered a house. Though I was there to be fed, I got up and left without taking leave.
· · ·
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 route does the verse describe Posiya taking?
Correct: A. A specific, traced itinerary.
Question 2 of 10
What does Posiya do once inside the house, according to the verse?
Correct: C. A decisive, abrupt action closing the verse.
Question 3 of 10
How does the verse name Posiya?
Correct: B. The same self-naming-at-the-climax technique seen with Dabba and Vīra in Chapter One.
Question 4 of 10
What general principle opens this verse?
Correct: D. A principle the rest of the verse then dramatizes in action.
Question 5 of 10
How does this verse relate its opening principle to what follows?
Correct: B. Instruction shown through action, not only stated.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'anāmantetvā' mean?
Correct: C. Describing the abruptness of Posiya's departure.
Question 7 of 10
What does 'gāma' mean?
Correct: A. The starting point of the verse's traced itinerary.
Question 8 of 10
Was Posiya at the house to receive food, according to the verse?
Correct: B. Named directly before his abrupt departure.
Question 9 of 10
How does this verse's specificity compare to more general instructive verses elsewhere in this chapter?
Correct: D. Narrative particularity rather than a purely general statement.
Question 10 of 10
Where does this poem fall in Chapter Four?
Correct: D. Continuing the chapter's sequence of ten poems.
