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Aṅguttara Nikāya · Discourse 5.153

The Sure Path (3rd)

Tatiyasammattaniyāmasutta — Saddhammavagga — the sixteenth 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, closing a three-discourse sequence
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, but the most pointed of the three

Why this discourse

The third and most serious discourse in this opening sequence: beyond mere distraction or dullness, this one names active hostility — even an intent to attack the teacher — as a listening-disqualifier, completing an escalating three-part portrait of bad listening.

Reading guide

The same three-item opening, again

Disparaging the talk, the speaker, and oneself — unchanged for the third time running.

Fault-finding, and outright hostility

This discourse's distinctive additions: listening bent only on finding fault (makkhī), a hostile fault-finding mind, and being antagonistic toward the teacher, actively looking for an opening to attack them (randhagavesī — literally ‘seeking a weakness’).

Dullness and overestimation return

The closing two items repeat AN 5.152's pair: witless/dull/idiotic, and thinking one knows what one doesn't.

Three escalating profiles of bad listening

Read together, this three-discourse sequence traces an arc: AN 5.151 (distraction and self-disparagement), AN 5.152 (dullness and false certainty), AN 5.153 (active hostility and even aggression). Each version keeps the same three-item core while escalating what surrounds it.

The mirrored positive, and what follows

The clean negation, as in both previous discourses. This sequence now closes; AN 5.154 shifts from an individual listener's disposition to the institutional survival of the teaching itself.

Key terms

makkhī — “bent on fault-finding” — a hostile, contrarian listening stance.
randhagavesī — “seeking an opening/weakness” — actively looking to attack the teacher, this discourse's most severe addition.
kathaṁ paribhoti / kathikaṁ paribhoti / attānaṁ paribhoti — disparaging the talk, the speaker, or oneself — unchanged across all three discourses in this sequence.
anaññāte aññātamānī — “thinking one knows what one doesn't” — repeating AN 5.152's epistemic failure.
niyāma — “the sure path” — the shared concept across all three discourses.

The text

The discourse in full: the closing, most severe version of this three-part sequence. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

Unable to step into the sure path

§1“Mendicants, someone with five qualities is unable to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities even when listening to the true teaching. What five? They listen to the teaching bent only on putting it down. They listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind. They’re antagonistic to the teacher, planning to attack them. They’re witless, dull, and idiotic. And they think they know what they don’t know. Someone with these five qualities is unable to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities even when listening to the true teaching.

Able to step into the sure path

§2Someone with five qualities is able to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching. What five? They don’t listen to the teaching bent only on putting it down. They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind. They’re not antagonistic to the teacher, and not planning to attack them. They’re wise, bright, and clever. And they don’t think they know what they don’t know. Someone with these five qualities is able to step into the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching.”

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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 makes this discourse the most severe of the three-part sequence?
Correct: A. Randhagavesī — actively seeking an opening to attack.
Question 2 of 10
What does 'randhagavesī' literally mean?
Correct: A. This discourse's most severe addition.
Question 3 of 10
What does 'makkhī' describe?
Correct: A. A hostile, contrarian listening stance.
Question 4 of 10
What three-item pattern does this discourse share with AN 5.151 and 5.152?
Correct: A. Unchanged across all three discourses.
Question 5 of 10
Which closing pair does this discourse repeat from AN 5.152?
Correct: A. Witless/dull/idiotic, and false certainty.
Question 6 of 10
How does this three-discourse sequence escalate, read in order?
Correct: A. AN 5.151, 5.152, 5.153 in sequence.
Question 7 of 10
What does this discourse's positive list consist of?
Correct: B. As in both previous discourses.
Question 8 of 10
What shared concept runs through all three 'sure path' discourses?
Correct: A. This sequence's title concept throughout.
Question 9 of 10
What does AN 5.154 shift the focus to?
Correct: A. From an individual listener's disposition to the teaching's collective preservation.
Question 10 of 10
What chapter do all three 'sure path' discourses open?
Correct: A. 'The True Teaching', this session's chapter.
Answered 0 of 10 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousAN 5.152 · The Sure Path (2nd)