Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
A mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on ten powers to make that claim: clearly seeing all conditions as impermanent and sensual pleasures as a pit of coals, a mind inclined to seclusion, and having well developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.
A deliberate answer to the chapter's own question
Coming immediately after three discourses (AN 10.84–86) devoted entirely to exposing false and mistaken claims of enlightenment, this discourse reads as the chapter's own positive answer: not what unmasks a false claim, but what actually grounds a true one, asked directly by the Buddha and answered by Sāriputta.
Insight and the seven sets, joined in one inventory
The ten powers combine two distinct registers: the first three are specific insights (impermanence of conditions, the danger in sensual pleasure, an inclination to seclusion), while the remaining seven are the classical “seven sets” of qualities leading to awakening — the four mindfulness meditations, four right efforts, four bases of psychic power, five faculties, five powers, seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path — named here together as a single complete inventory rather than seven separate teachings.
Closing the chapter of senior disciples with its most senior voice
It is fitting that Theravagga, a chapter populated throughout by senior disciples testing and diagnosing each other's claims, closes with Sāriputta — traditionally foremost in wisdom among the Buddha's disciples — answering the Buddha's own direct question about what genuine attainment actually rests on.
Key terms
The text
The Buddha's question
§1Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Sāriputta, how many powers does a mendicant who has ended the defilements have that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’”
Ten powers
§2“Sir, a mendicant who has ended the defilements has ten powers that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ What ten? Firstly, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom all conditions as truly impermanent. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom that sensual pleasures are truly like a pit of glowing coals. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, the mind of a mendicant with defilements ended slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion. They’re withdrawn, loving renunciation, and have totally eliminated defiling influences. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four right efforts. … the four bases of psychic power … the five faculties … the five powers … the seven awakening factors … the noble eightfold path. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’
Closing
§3A mendicant who has ended the defilements possesses these ten powers that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’”
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