Cātuddisasutta — Phāsuvihāravagga — the eleventh chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
a single bare five-item list, a complete monastic portrait distinguished by contentment
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — familiar formula, one distinguishing new element
Why this discourse
Another complete monastic portrait, like AN 5.87 and this chapter's own AN 5.107, distinguished by one new element: contentment (santuṭṭha) with whatever robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine one happens to receive — the quality said to leave a mendicant genuinely ‘at ease in any quarter’.
Reading guide
Another complete portrait, a contentment variant
Like AN 5.87's ‘Ethical’ and this chapter's own AN 5.107, this discourse names a five-quality complete portrait; its distinguishing element is contentment with whatever material support is received, of whatever quality.
What 'at ease in any quarter' means
Cātuddisa, literally ‘of the four directions’, names someone genuinely unconstrained about where they live or travel — the outcome this discourse's five qualities are said to produce.
The five qualities, in sequence
Full ethical restraint under the monastic code (the same formula seen at AN 5.87 and elsewhere); deep learning (the familiar bahussuta formula); contentment with whatever material support is received; effortless mastery of the four absorptions; and full liberation.
Contentment as the distinguishing new element
Contrast directly with AN 5.104's ‘delicate ascetic’, whose ease came from being given specifically what was requested and treated well by companions. Here, ease comes from needing nothing in particular at all — two different, complementary routes to the same underlying freedom from want.
Why contentment enables mobility
The discourse's implicit logic: a mendicant genuinely unconcerned about the quality of material support is free to go anywhere, since no particular place or supporter is required to meet a fixed standard.
What comes next
AN 5.110 closes the chapter with a similar list, narrowed specifically to readiness for wilderness dwelling rather than travel in any direction.
Key terms
cātuddisa — “of the four quarters” — at ease and unconstrained about location.
santuṭṭha — “content” — satisfied with whatever material support is received.
pātimokkhasaṁvara — restraint under the monastic code — the first quality.
bahussuta — very learned — the second quality, using the same formula seen elsewhere in this nipāta.
itarītara — “whatever kind”, ordinary or so-so — qualifying the material support this mendicant is content with.
The text
The discourse in full: ethics, learning, contentment, jhāna mastery, and full liberation. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five qualities of one at ease in any quarter
§1“Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities is at ease in any quarter. What five? It’s when mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically. They’re content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty. They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. A mendicant with these five qualities is at ease in any quarter.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does 'cātuddisa' mean?
Correct: A. This discourse's central outcome.
Question 2 of 10
What is the distinguishing new element in this discourse's portrait, compared to AN 5.87 and AN 5.107?
Correct: B. Santuṭṭha, the new distinguishing quality.
Question 3 of 10
What does 'santuṭṭha' mean?
Correct: A. This discourse's key term.
Question 4 of 10
What is the first of the five qualities named?
Correct: A. Pātimokkhasaṁvara, opening the list.
Question 5 of 10
What is the second quality?
Correct: B. The familiar bahussuta formula.
Question 6 of 10
How does this discourse's route to ease differ from AN 5.104's 'delicate ascetic'?
Correct: B. Two complementary routes to the same underlying freedom from want.
Question 7 of 10
What is the discourse's implicit logic for why contentment enables mobility?
Correct: B. Freedom from a fixed material standard enables freedom of location.
Question 8 of 10
What formula, seen elsewhere in this nipāta, describes this discourse's learning quality?
Correct: A. The same full formula used at AN 5.87 and elsewhere.
Question 9 of 10
What is the fourth quality?
Correct: B. The stock formula for effortless jhāna attainment.
Question 10 of 10
What does AN 5.110 narrow this same list to, closing the chapter?
Correct: B. Substituting energy for this discourse's contentment.
