<blockquote>
<p>araṇīyam'atthakusalena
Yaŋ taŋ santaŋ padaŋ abhisamecca:
<em><strong>Sakko</strong> ujū</em> ca <em>sūjū</em> ca,
Suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Practicing &quot;respectfully, carefully, duly, thoroughly&quot;, very, very... more in <a href="https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html#cult" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta</a></p>
<p>(Upright is something only reached by stream enter, while metta to practice is open for worldlings as well.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-09T17:12:57.363Z
2021-03-09T17:12:57.363Z
user20698
<p>That's one of <a href="https://suttacentral.net/kp9/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">several translations</a> of this</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Karaṇīyamatthakusalena,<br />
Yanta santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca;<br />
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,<br />
Sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They all translate it with the same word, &quot;upright&quot;.</p>
<p>The Pali word are <em>ujū</em> (straight), <em>sakko</em> (able/capable), and <em>su-</em> (good).</p>
<p>Here is a dictionary definition: <a href="https://suttacentral.net/define/uju" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://suttacentral.net/define/uju</a></p>
<p>The dictionary has cross-references to other suttas where it's used. Curiously the first of these is <code>DN.iii.150</code> i.e. <a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn30/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN 30</a> where it seems to be used literally/physically -- e.g. a straight, well-formed body -- but there it's also used to describe eyes, behaviour, demeanour:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Mendicants, in some past lives the Realized One was reborn as a human being.
When looking at others he didn’t glare, look askance, or avert his eyes. Being <strong>straightforward</strong>, he reached out to others with <strong>straightforward</strong> intentions, looking at people with kindly eyes.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-23T13:20:25.543Z
Nice answer. I think one of the meanings is also "honest", that is not having hidden motives, candid.
Andriy Volkov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-22T21:15:00.627Z
2021-02-22T22:50:39.333Z
2021-02-22T22:50:39.333Z
ChrisW
<p>In karaniya metta sutta,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He who is skilled in (working out his own) well being, and who wishes to attain that state of Calm (Nibbana) should act thus: he should be dexterous, <strong>upright</strong>, <strong>exceedingly upright</strong>, obedient, gentle, and humble.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What does it mean to be upright?</p>

<reference-request><sutras>
What does it mean to be upright?
# What does it mean to be upright?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-02-22)

In karaniya metta sutta,

> He who is skilled in (working out his own) well being, and who wishes to attain that state of Calm (Nibbana) should act thus: he should be dexterous, **upright**, **exceedingly upright**, obedient, gentle, and humble.

What does it mean to be upright?

**Tags:** reference-request, sutras


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-02-22. Score: 3

That's one of [several translations](https://suttacentral.net/kp9/) of this

> Karaṇīyamatthakusalena,  
> Yanta santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca;  
> Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,  
> Sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.

They all translate it with the same word, "upright".

The Pali word are *ujū* (straight), *sakko* (able/capable), and *su-* (good).

Here is a dictionary definition: <https://suttacentral.net/define/uju>

The dictionary has cross-references to other suttas where it's used. Curiously the first of these is `DN.iii.150` i.e. [DN 30](https://suttacentral.net/dn30/en/sujato) where it seems to be used literally/physically -- e.g. a straight, well-formed body -- but there it's also used to describe eyes, behaviour, demeanour:

> Mendicants, in some past lives the Realized One was reborn as a human being.
> When looking at others he didn’t glare, look askance, or avert his eyes. Being **straightforward**, he reached out to others with **straightforward** intentions, looking at people with kindly eyes.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Nice answer. I think one of the meanings is also "honest", that is not having hidden motives, candid.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-03-09. Score: 0

> araṇīyam'atthakusalena
> Yaŋ taŋ santaŋ padaŋ abhisamecca:
> ***Sakko** ujū* ca *sūjū* ca,
> Suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.

Practicing "respectfully, carefully, duly, thoroughly", very, very... more in [Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta](https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html#cult)

(Upright is something only reached by stream enter, while metta to practice is open for worldlings as well.)


---

