[84] **"Whoever proclaims himself of his own accord" (yo ātumānaṃ sayameva pāvā):** "ātumā" is a term for the self (attā). **"Proclaims of his own accord":** he himself proclaims himself, saying: "I am accomplished in virtue (sīla)," or "accomplished in observances (vata)," or "accomplished in virtue and observances"; or [he proclaims himself] by birth, or by clan, or by being the scion of a good family, or by beauty of complexion, or by wealth, or by study (ajjhena), or by a field of work, or by a field of craft, or by a branch of knowledge, or by learning, or by ready wit, or on some ground or other; or [saying,] "I have gone forth from a high family," or "gone forth from a great family," or "gone forth from a family of great wealth," or "gone forth from a family of abundant wealth"; or "I am known and famous among householders and those gone forth"¹; or "I am a gainer of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick"; or "I am an expert in the Suttantas," or "an upholder of the Vinaya," or "a speaker of the Dhamma"; or "a forest-dweller," or "an almsfood-eater," or "a wearer of rag-robes," or "a wearer of only the three robes," or "one who walks for alms without skipping houses," or "one who refuses food offered afterwards," or "one who keeps the sitter's practice," or "one who lodges in whatever is allotted"; or "I am a gainer of the first jhāna," or "a gainer of the second jhāna," or "a gainer of the third jhāna," or "a gainer of the fourth jhāna," or "a gainer of the attainment of the Sphere of Infinity of Space (ākāsānañcāyatana)," or "a gainer of the attainment of the Sphere of Infinity of Consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana)," or "a gainer of the attainment of the Sphere of Nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana)," or "a gainer of the attainment of the Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana)" — thus he proclaims, tells, speaks, explains, and declares. Hence, "whoever proclaims himself of his own accord." Therefore the Blessed One said:
"The person who, unasked, declares
his own virtues and observances to others —
the skilled say that this is an ignoble practice —
whoever proclaims himself of his own accord."
¹ Variant reading (M., Yu. editions): *sagahaṭṭhapabbajitānaṃ* — "among both householders and those gone forth."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.