Tikanipāta 25

Numbered Discourses 3.25

3. Individuals

Like Diamond

1 “These three individuals are found in the world. What three? An individual with a mind like an open sore, an individual with a mind like lightning, and an individual with a mind like diamond.

And who has a mind like an open sore? It’s an individual who is irritable and bad-tempered. Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. They’re like a festering sore, which, when you hit it with a stick or a stone, discharges even more. In the same way, an individual is irritable and bad-tempered. Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. This is called an individual with a mind like an open sore.

2 And who has a mind like lightning? It’s an individual who truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. They’re like a person with keen eyes in the dark of the night, who sees by a flash of lightning. In the same way, an individual truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is called an individual with a mind like lightning.

3 And who has a mind like diamond? It’s an individual who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. It’s like a diamond, which can’t be cut by anything at all, not even a gem or a stone. In the same way, an individual realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom … in this very life … This is called an individual with a mind like diamond.

These are the three individuals found in the world.”