an.4.115 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Courses of Action

“Monks, there are these four courses of action. Which four? There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable.

“Now as for the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is unpleasant to do, one considers it as not worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing. Thus one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons.

“As for the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known—in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort—as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.

“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known—in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort—as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.

“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is pleasant to do, one considers it as worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing. Thus one considers it as worth doing for both reasons.

“These are the four courses of action.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

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Things

“Mendicants, there are these four things.
What four?
There is a thing that’s unpleasant to do,
and doing it proves harmful.
There is a thing that’s unpleasant to do,
but doing it proves beneficial.
There is a thing that’s pleasant to do,
but doing it proves harmful.
There is a thing that’s pleasant to do,
and doing it proves beneficial.
Take the thing that’s unpleasant to do,
and doing it proves harmful.
This is regarded as a thing that shouldn’t be done on both grounds:
because it’s unpleasant,

and because doing it proves harmful.

This is regarded as a thing that shouldn’t be done on both grounds.
Next, take the thing that’s unpleasant to do,
but doing it proves beneficial.
It is here that you can tell who is foolish and who is astute in regard to human strength, energy, and vigor.
A fool doesn’t reflect:
‘Despite the fact that this thing is unpleasant to do,
doing it still proves beneficial.’
They don’t do that thing,
so that proves harmful.
An astute person does reflect:
‘Despite the fact that this thing is unpleasant to do,
doing it still proves beneficial.’
They do that thing,
so that proves beneficial.
Next, take the thing that’s pleasant to do,
but doing it proves harmful.
It is here that you can tell who is foolish and who is astute in regard to human strength, energy, and vigor.
A fool doesn’t reflect:
‘Despite the fact that this thing is pleasant to do,
doing it still proves harmful.’
They do that thing,
and so that proves harmful.
An astute person does reflect:
‘Despite the fact that this thing is pleasant to do,
doing it still proves harmful.’
They don’t do that thing,
so that proves beneficial.
Next, take the thing that’s pleasant to do, and doing it proves beneficial.
This is regarded as a thing that should be done on both grounds:
because it’s pleasant,
and because doing it proves beneficial.
This is regarded as a thing that should be done on both grounds.
These are the four things.”