Āhuneyyasutta — Nāthavagga — the second chapter of the Tens
Setting
None stated in the source
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
A single bare list of ten kinds of person, no narrative and no similes
Length
~30 seconds to read
The fullest classification of worthy persons yet
This list expands AN 9.10's nine individuals by adding the Independent Buddha and splitting its final ‘lamb of the flock’ into four further gradations
Difficulty
★★★☆☆ — a dense classification, worth comparing directly against AN 9.9-10
Why this discourse
Ten individuals are worthy of offerings, hospitality, donation, and reverent greeting, the supreme field of merit for the world: a fully awakened Buddha, an Independent Buddha, one freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a direct witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower by faith, a follower of teachings, and a lamb of the flock.
Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Ten kinds of person are worthy of offerings and the supreme field of merit for the world: a fully awakened Buddha, an Independent Buddha, one freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a direct witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower by faith, a follower of teachings, and a lamb of the flock.
Expanding AN 9.9-10's nine to ten
This list builds directly on the nine-fold classification already met at AN 9.9 and AN 9.10 — the four pairs on the path to and fruit of awakening, plus a ninth member — but reaches ten by two changes: adding an Independent Buddha (paccekabuddha) at the very top, and expanding the categories describing those still on the path with several further gradations by conviction and understanding.
Two kinds of Buddha, distinguished
This discourse is the first in this project to distinguish a fully awakened Buddha (sammāsambuddha) from an Independent Buddha (paccekabuddha) — one who awakens without a living teacher but, unlike a sammāsambuddha, does not establish a teaching for others to follow to the same awakening.
Terms already met, now assembled together
Several items in this list are already familiar from this project's own Sāmaññavagga chapter (AN 9.42-51): ‘freed both ways’ and ‘freed by wisdom’ matched AN 9.44-45's terms exactly, and ‘direct witness’ matches AN 9.43's own kāyasakkhī — there defined through the nine progressive attainments, here simply named as points on a single graded scale.
Key terms
sammāsambuddho, paccekabuddho — “a fully awakened Buddha... an Independent Buddha” — the first two of the ten, distinguishing a teaching Buddha from one who awakens without establishing a path for others.
ubhatobhāgavimutto, paññāvimutto, kāyasakkhī — “one freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a direct witness” — three terms identical to those defined through the nine attainments at AN 9.43-45.
diṭṭhippatto — “one attained to view” — a further gradation not previously named in this project, describing someone who has seen the truth but not yet fully realized freedom.
saddhāvimutto, saddhānusārī, dhammānusārī — “one freed by faith, a follower by faith, a follower of teachings” — three further gradations expanding what AN 9.9-10 named simply as the ‘one practicing’ for each fruit.
gotrabhū — “a lamb of the flock” — the same distinctive translation choice already met at AN 9.10, closing this expanded list.
The text
The discourse in full: ten kinds of person worthy of offerings, expanding AN 9.9-10's nine-fold classification. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Ten worthy of offerings
§1“Mendicants, these ten individuals are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world. What ten? A Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha; an Independent Buddha; one freed both ways; one freed by wisdom; a direct witness; one attained to view; one freed by faith; a follower by faith; a follower of teachings; a lamb of the flock. These are the ten individuals who are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world.”
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Self-check quiz
6 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 6
What ten kinds of person does this discourse name?
Correct: B. An expansion of AN 9.9-10's nine-fold classification by two members.
Question 2 of 6
How does this list expand AN 9.9-10's nine individuals to reach ten?
Correct: B. Two structural changes distinguish this list from the earlier nine-fold version.
Question 3 of 6
What distinguishes an Independent Buddha (paccekabuddha) from a fully awakened Buddha, according to the guide?
Correct: B. Two related but distinct categories, named together for the first time in this project.
Question 4 of 6
Which three terms in this list match items already defined at AN 9.43-45?
Correct: B. The same terms, there defined through the nine progressive attainments, here simply named on a graded scale.
Question 5 of 6
What ninth member, already met at AN 9.10, closes this expanded list?
Correct: B. The same distinctive translation choice noted at AN 9.10.
Question 6 of 6
Is a setting given for this discourse?
Correct: C. A bare classification, without narrative frame.
