Pañcakanipāta 175

Numbered Discourses 5.175

18. A Lay Follower

Corpse-worker

1 “Mendicants, a lay follower with five qualities is a corpse-worker, a stain, and a reject among lay followers. What five? They’re faithless. They’re unethical. They follow boisterous, superstitious rites, believing in omens rather than deeds. They seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations. And they make offerings there first. A lay follower with these five qualities is a corpse-worker, a stain, and a reject among lay followers.

2 A lay follower with five qualities is a gem, a pink lotus, and a white lotus among lay followers. What five? They’re faithful. They’re ethical. They don’t practice boisterous, superstitious rites, and believe in deeds rather than omens. They don’t seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations. And they don’t make offerings there first. A lay follower with these five qualities is a gem, a pink lotus, and a white lotus among lay followers.”