Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.255 26.

Pariyesanāsutta

Abhiññāvagga Pariyesanāsutta “Catasso imā, bhikkhave, anariyapariyesanā.

Disciples, there are four kinds of unworthy pursuits.

Katamā catasso?

What are the four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā jarādhammo samāno jarādhammaṁyeva pariyesati; attanā byādhidhammo samāno byādhidhammaṁyeva pariyesati; attanā maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇadhammaṁyeva pariyesati; attanā saṅkilesadhammo samāno saṅkilesadhammaṁyeva pariyesati.

Here a certain person, being subject to aging, seeks only aging; being subject to illness, seeks only illness; being subject to death, seeks only death; being subject to defilement, seeks only defilement.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso anariyapariyesanā.

These are the four kinds of unworthy pursuits.

Catasso imā, bhikkhave, ariyapariyesanā.

There are also four kinds of worthy pursuits.

Katamā catasso?

What are the four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā jarādhammo samāno jarādhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā ajaraṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesati; attanā byādhidhammo samāno byādhidhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā abyādhiṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesati; attanā maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇadhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā amataṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesati; attanā saṅkilesadhammo samāno saṅkilesadhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā asaṅkiliṭṭhaṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesati.

Here a certain person, being subject to aging, having known the drawbacks of aging, seeks the deathless, the supreme state of peace, Nibbāna; being subject to illness, having known the drawbacks of illness, seeks the non-illness, the supreme state of peace, Nibbāna; being subject to death, having known the drawbacks of death, seeks the deathless, the supreme state of peace, Nibbāna; being subject to defilement, having known the drawbacks of defilement, seeks the unblemished, the supreme state of peace, Nibbāna.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso ariyapariyesanā”ti. Dutiyaṁ.

These are the four kinds of worthy pursuits.