AN 5.96 (A iii 120)
Sutadhara Sutta
— Keeping in mind who was learned —
[suta+dhara]

Five qualities the lead one practicing mindfulness of breathing to liberation.



Note: info·bubbles on "underdotted" English words


Pāḷi


English




“pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu ānāpānassatiṃ āsevanto nacirasseva akuppaṃ paṭivijjhati. katamehi pañcahi?

"Endowed with five qualities, a monk pursuing mindfulness of breathing will in no long time penetrate the Unprovoked [release]. Which five?

idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu appaṭṭho hoti appakicco subharo susantoso jīvitaparikkhāresu.

"He is a person who imposes only a little [on others]: one of few duties & projects, easy to support, easily contented with the requisites of life.

appāhāro hoti anodarikattaṃ anuyutto.

"He is a person who eats only a little food, committed to not indulging his stomach.

appamiddho hoti jāgariyaṃ anuyutto.

"He is a person of only a little sloth, committed to wakefulness.

bahussuto hoti sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṃ sabyañjanaṃ kevalaparipuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ brahmacariyaṃ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā.

"He is a person of much learning, who has retained what he heard, has stored what he has heard. Whatever teachings are admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that — in their meaning & expression — proclaim the holy life that is entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often, retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, and well-penetrated in terms of his views.

yathāvimuttaṃ cittaṃ paccavekkhati.

"He reflects on the mind as it is released.{1}

imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu ānāpānassatiṃ āsevanto nacirasseva akuppaṃ paṭivijjhatī”ti.

"Endowed with these five qualities, a monk pursuing mindfulness of breathing will in no long time penetrate the Unprovoked."



Bodhi leaf



Note


1. reflects on the mind as it is released: When the mind is released from hindrances as it enters concentration, when it is released from the factors of lower levels of concentration as it enters higher levels of concentration, and when it is released from the fetters on reaching Awakening.




"Sutadhara Sutta: One Who Retains What He Has Heard", translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013.

———oOo———
Published as a gift of Dhamma, to be distributed free of charge.

The text of this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit this page.