Sasaṅkhārasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.169

Numbered Discourses 4.169

17. Paṭipadāvagga

17. Practice

Sasaṅkhārasutta

Extra Effort

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

One individual is fully extinguished in this very life by making extra effort.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kāyassa bhedā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

One individual is fully extinguished when the body breaks up by making extra effort.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

One individual is fully extinguished in this very life without making extra effort.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kāyassa bhedā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

One individual is fully extinguished when the body breaks up without making extra effort.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti?

And how is an individual fully extinguished in this very life by making extra effort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī.

It’s when a mendicant meditates observing the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives dissatisfaction with the whole world, observes the impermanence of all conditions,

Maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

and has well established the perception of their own death.

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—

And these five faculties manifest in them strongly:

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Because of the strength of the five faculties, they are fully extinguished in this very life by making extra effort.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

That’s how an individual is fully extinguished in this very life by making extra effort.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo kāyassa bhedā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti?

How is an individual fully extinguished when the body breaks up by making extra effort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī.

It’s when a mendicant meditates observing the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives dissatisfaction with the whole world, observes the impermanence of all conditions,

Maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

and has well established the perception of their own death.

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti—

But these five faculties manifest in them weakly:

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā kāyassa bhedā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Because of the weakness of the five faculties, they are fully extinguished when the body breaks up by making extra effort.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo kāyassa bhedā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

That’s how an individual is fully extinguished when the body breaks up by making extra effort.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti?

And how is an individual fully extinguished in this very life without making extra effort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

It’s when a mendicant … enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption …

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

saddhābalaṁ …pe… paññābalaṁ.

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—

And these five faculties manifest in them strongly:

saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ.

faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā diṭṭheva dhamme asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Because of the strength of the five faculties, they are fully extinguished in this very life without making extra effort.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo diṭṭheva dhamme asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

That’s how an individual is fully extinguished in this very life without making extra effort.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo kāyassa bhedā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti?

And how is an individual fully extinguished when the body breaks up without making extra effort?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

It’s when a mendicant … enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption …

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni …pe… paññindriyaṁ.

But these five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā kāyassa bhedā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Because of the weakness of the five faculties, they are fully extinguished when the body breaks up without making extra effort.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo kāyassa bhedā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

That’s how an individual is fully extinguished when the body breaks up without making extra effort.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”

Navamaṁ.