Training Rules

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.

What four?

One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others;

one who practices to benefit others, but not themselves;

one who practices to benefit neither themselves nor others; and

one who practices to benefit both themselves and others.

And how does an individual practice to benefit themselves, but not others?

It’s when an individual doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. But they don’t encourage others to do the same.

That’s how an individual practices to benefit themselves, but not others.

And how does an individual practice to benefit others, but not themselves?

It’s when an individual kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. But they encourage others to not do these things.

That’s how an individual practices to benefit others, but not themselves.

And how does a person practice to benefit neither themselves nor others?

It’s when an individual kills, etc. … and doesn’t encourage others to not do these things.

That’s how an individual practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.

And how does an individual practice to benefit both themselves and others?

It’s when an individual doesn’t kill, etc. … and encourages others to do the same.

That’s how an individual practices to benefit both themselves and others.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”