Samaṇasukhasutta — Gilānavagga — the thirteenth 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
two paired five-item lists, naming suffering and happiness directly
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, restating a familiar theme
Why this discourse
AN 5.127's contentment material restated once more, this time named directly as suffering or happiness itself — discontent with material support paired with dissatisfaction in the spiritual life, and their positive counterparts.
Reading guide
The same material, a direct emotional framing
Where AN 5.127 asked about fitness for solitude, this discourse names the identical pattern — discontent with material support — directly as one of five kinds of suffering for an ascetic.
Suffering, defined by discontent and dissatisfaction
Discontent with whatever robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine one has, paired with leading the spiritual life dissatisfied (anabhirata).
Happiness, the mirrored positive
Contentment with the same four categories of material support, paired with leading the spiritual life satisfied (abhirata).
A third discourse built on contentment
This is now the third discourse in a short stretch of this chapter — AN 5.104's delicate ascetic, AN 5.127's fitness for solitude, and this discourse's suffering and happiness — all returning to the same underlying theme of contentment with material circumstances.
What comes next
AN 5.129 shifts entirely, to one of the most serious lists in the whole collection: five acts leading irrevocably to hell.
Key terms
samaṇadukkha — “suffering for an ascetic” — this discourse's title concept.
samaṇasukha — “happiness for an ascetic” — the mirrored positive.
anabhirata / abhirata — dissatisfied / satisfied — describing one's relationship to the spiritual life itself.
asantuṭṭho / santuṭṭho — discontent / content — reused directly from AN 5.127.
brahmacariyaṁ carati — “leads the spiritual life” — the practice at stake in both versions.
The text
The discourse in full: five kinds of suffering, and five of happiness, for an ascetic. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five kinds of suffering
§1“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of suffering for an ascetic. What five? It’s when a mendicant is not content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And they lead the spiritual life dissatisfied. These are five kinds of suffering for an ascetic.
Five kinds of happiness
§2There are these five kinds of happiness for an ascetic. What five? It’s when a mendicant is content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And they lead the spiritual life satisfied. These are five kinds of happiness for an ascetic.”
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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 this discourse restate from AN 5.127?
Correct: B. A direct emotional framing of the same underlying pattern.
Question 2 of 10
What is discontent with material support paired with, in the suffering list?
Correct: A. Anabhirata.
Question 3 of 10
What does 'abhirata' mean?
Correct: A. The positive counterpart in the happiness list.
Question 4 of 10
How many discourses in this chapter, including this one, are built on the theme of contentment?
Correct: B. A recurring thread across a short stretch of this chapter.
Question 5 of 10
What four categories of material support are named, reused from AN 5.127?
Correct: A. Identical to AN 5.127's list.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'brahmacariyaṁ carati' mean?
Correct: A. The practice at stake in both versions of the list.
Question 7 of 10
How is the 'happiness' list constructed relative to the 'suffering' list?
Correct: B. A clean mirror image.
Question 8 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: B. Continuing the chapter on sickness, care, and contentment.
Question 9 of 10
What does AN 5.129 shift to next?
Correct: B. A significant shift in tone and stakes.
