Ajina — The Book of the Twos · Chapter One · Poem 5 of 10
Setting
No narrative setting; two four-line verses, without a translated attribution
Speaker
Ajina, on how honor is actually distributed
Form
Two four-line verses, contrasting two figures
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 pointed social observation, plainly stated
Why this text
Ajina sets two figures side by side: a master of the three knowledges, undefiled and a conqueror of death, looked down upon simply for being unknown — against anyone who gets food and drink, honored by the same ignorant crowd regardless of character.
Reading guide
A master of the three knowledges, unknown and dismissed
The first verse describes real attainment in full: ‘tevijjo’, a master of the three knowledges, ‘undefiled, conqueror of death’ — and then states plainly that such a person is ‘looked down upon for being unknown by ignorant fools’. Attainment itself offers no protection from being dismissed by those who can't recognize it.
Honor, misallocated
The second verse turns the comparison around: anyone who simply ‘gets food and drink’ is honored by the same crowd, ‘even if they are of bad character’. The verse doesn't argue that honor itself is worthless — only that it tracks visible provision, not verified virtue.
A second angle on honor, within the same chapter
Two poems earlier, Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer (Thag 2.2) named honor itself a swamp, a danger to whoever receives it. Ajina's verse approaches the same theme from outside rather than within — not a warning about what honor does to the person who gets it, but an observation about how badly it is distributed among those handing it out.
Key terms
tevijjo — “master of the three knowledges” — a standard designation for a fully accomplished practitioner, opening this verse's description of real attainment.
maccuhāyī — “conqueror of death”, literally one who has ‘abandoned’ or overcome death — paired with tevijjo in the same line.
appaññāto — “unknown” or unrecognized — the sole stated reason the first figure is looked down upon.
bālā — “fools” — who the verse says do the looking-down, named directly rather than left implicit.
pāpadhammo — “of bad character” — the condition under which the second figure is honored regardless.
The text
The text in full: two verses, without a translated attribution. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1Even a master of the three knowledges, undefiled, conqueror of death, is looked down upon for being unknown by ignorant fools.
§2But any individual here who gets food and drink is honored by them, even if they are of bad character.
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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 does the first verse call the person it describes?
Correct: C. Real, stated attainment opens the poem.
Question 2 of 10
Why is this accomplished person looked down upon, according to the verse?
Correct: D. Recognition, not virtue, is what's missing.
Question 3 of 10
Who does the second verse say is honored, regardless of character?
Correct: C. Visible provision, not verified virtue, drives the honor described.
Question 4 of 10
Does the verse argue that honor itself is worthless?
Correct: D. A pointed observation about distribution, not a rejection of honor as such.
Question 5 of 10
How does this poem relate to Thag 2.2, two poems earlier?
Correct: A. Two different angles on the same chapter's recurring concern with honor.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'tevijjo' mean?
Correct: A. A standard designation for full attainment.
Question 7 of 10
What does 'appaññāto' mean?
Correct: B. The stated reason the accomplished figure is dismissed.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'pāpadhammo' describe?
Correct: B. The condition under which the second figure is still honored.
Question 9 of 10
What structure does this poem use?
Correct: B. Two verses, two figures, set against each other.
Question 10 of 10
What does 'maccuhāyī' mean?
Correct: A. Paired with 'tevijjo' to open the description of real attainment.
