85 (1) A Bhikkhu
“Bhikkhus, it is through the breaking of seven things that one is a bhikkhu.1609 What seven? Personal-existence view is broken; doubt is broken; wrong grasp of behavior and observances is broken; lust is broken; hatred is broken; delusion is broken; conceit is broken. It is through the breaking of these seven things that one is a bhikkhu.”
86 (2) An Ascetic
“Bhikkhus, it is through the pacifying of seven things that one is an ascetic….”1610
87 (3) A Brahmin
“Bhikkhus, it is through the expulsion [of seven things] that one is a brahmin….”
88 (4) A Scholar
“Bhikkhus, it is because of the streaming away [of seven things] that one is a scholar….”
89 (5) Washed
“Bhikkhus, it is because of the washing away [of seven things] that one is washed….” [145]
90 (6) A Master of Vedic Knowledge
“Bhikkhus, it is because one has the knowledge [of seven things] that one is a master of Vedic knowledge….”
91 (7) A Noble One
“Bhikkhus, it is through the foe-slaying [of seven things] that one is a noble one….”1611
“Bhikkhus, it is through the remoteness [of seven things] that one is an arahant.1612 What seven? Personal-existence view is remote; doubt is remote; wrong grasp of behavior and observances is remote; lust is remote; hatred is remote; delusion is remote; conceit is remote. It is through the remoteness of these seven things that one is an arahant.”
93 (9) Character (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven who are not of good character. What seven? One without faith, one without a sense of moral shame, one without moral dread, one of little learning, one who is lazy, one who is muddle-minded, and one who is unwise. These are the seven who are not of good character.”
94 (10) Character (2)
“Bhikkhus, there are these seven who are of good character. What seven? One endowed with faith, one with a sense of moral shame, one with moral dread, one who is learned, one who is energetic, one who is mindful, and one who is wise. These are the seven who are of good character.”
1608 Ee does not count this as a separate vagga but treats it as the beginning of the repetition series.
1609 A pun is involved here, evident in the Pāli: bhinnattā bhikkhu hoti. Puns also explain the word derivations in the following suttas, for example, samitattā samaṇo hoti, and bāhitattā brāhmaṇo hoti. These puns are purely “pedagogical” and not etymologically cogent.
1610 Each of the suttas in this series is abridged in the Pāli, but it is clear that each should be expanded by way of the seven factors mentioned in 4:85.
1611 I read with Ee arīhatattā. Ce has arahattā, Be ārakattā (as all three editions read in the next sutta).
1612 Ārakattā arahā hoti.