Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.163

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 4.163

17. Paṭipadāvagga
17. Practice

Asubhasutta

Ugly

“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.
“Mendicants, there are four ways of practice.

Katamā catasso?
What four?

Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
Painful practice with slow insight,

dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,
painful practice with swift insight,

sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
pleasant practice with slow insight, and

sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
pleasant practice with swift insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?
And what’s the painful practice with slow insight?

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 dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.
This is called the painful practice with slow insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?
And what’s the painful practice with swift insight?

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 …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 khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
This is called the painful practice with swift insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?
And what’s the pleasant practice with slow insight?

Idha bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;
It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;
As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;
And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’

sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

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 mudūni pātubhavanti—
But these five faculties manifest in them weakly:

saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ.
faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.
This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?
And what’s the pleasant practice with swift insight?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …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 adhimattāni pātubhavanti—
And these five faculties manifest in them strongly:

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.
faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā”ti.
These are the four ways of practice.”

Tatiyaṁ.