• Numbered Discourses 4.162 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.162
  • 17. Practice 17. Paį¹­ipadāvagga

In Detail Vitthārasutta

ā€œMendicants, there are four ways of practice. ā€œCatasso imā, bhikkhave, paį¹­ipadā. What four? Katamā catasso?

  1. Painful practice with slow insight, Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
  2. painful practice with swift insight, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,
  3. pleasant practice with slow insight, and sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
  4. pleasant practice with swift insight. sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

And what’s the painful practice with slow insight? Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paį¹­ipadā dandhābhiƱƱā? It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: Tassimāni paƱcindriyāni mudÅ«ni pātubhavanti—faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. saddhindriyaṁ, vÄ«riyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paƱƱindriyaṁ. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. So imesaṁ paƱcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. This is called the painful practice with slow insight. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paį¹­ipadā dandhābhiƱƱā.

And what’s the painful practice with swift insight? Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paį¹­ipadā khippābhiƱƱā? It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. And these five faculties manifest in them strongly: Tassimāni paƱcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. saddhindriyaṁ, vÄ«riyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paƱƱindriyaṁ. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. So imesaṁ paƱcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. This is called the painful practice with swift insight. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paį¹­ipadā khippābhiƱƱā.

And what’s pleasant practice with slow insight? Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paį¹­ipadā dandhābhiƱƱā? It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: Tassimāni paƱcindriyāni mudÅ«ni pātubhavanti—faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paƱƱindriyaṁ. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. So imesaṁ paƱcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paį¹­ipadā dandhābhiƱƱā.

And what’s the pleasant practice with swift insight? Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paį¹­ipadā khippābhiƱƱā? It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. Pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paį¹­isaṁvedeti. These five faculties manifest in them strongly: Tassimāni paƱcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. saddhindriyaṁ, vÄ«riyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paƱƱindriyaṁ. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. So imesaṁ paƱcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paį¹­ipadā khippābhiƱƱā.

These are the four ways of practice.ā€ Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paį¹­ipadÄā€ti.

Dutiyaṁ.