Atinivāsasutta — Dīghacārikavagga — the twenty-third 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, drawbacks then benefits
Length
~1.5 minutes to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, the mirror concern to this chapter's wandering discourses
Why this discourse
The mirror concern to AN 5.221–222's wandering discourses: just as too much movement has its costs, so does staying in one place too long — accumulating possessions, taking on too many duties, and finally becoming genuinely attached to a dwelling one should be ready to leave.
Reading guide
Five drawbacks of overstaying
Accumulating a lot of stuff and storing it up; accumulating a lot of medicine and storing it up; taking on so many duties and responsibilities that one becomes indispensably capable in everything needed; mixing too closely and inappropriately with laypeople and other renunciates; and, closing the list, genuinely missing the place when finally leaving it.
Material accumulation, then social entanglement, then attachment
The five drawbacks build in a clear sequence: first material (possessions, medicine), then social (excessive duties, inappropriate closeness with laypeople), and finally emotional — the culminating attachment that makes leaving genuinely difficult.
Five matching benefits
The clean mirror: not accumulating excess possessions or medicine, not becoming indispensably burdened with duties, not mixing inappropriately with laypeople, and leaving a dwelling without reluctance when the time comes.
A companion concern to this chapter's opening pair
Cross-ref AN 5.221–222: together, these three discourses sketch a single balanced ideal — neither constant, aimless wandering nor prolonged, entangling residence, but movement and settling both practiced with moderation.
What follows
AN 5.224 continues with the same title, ‘overstaying’, but names an entirely different set of five drawbacks: the five kinds of stinginess.
Key terms
atinivāsa — “overstaying” — this discourse's title concept, remaining in one dwelling too long.
bahubhaṇḍo, bahubhaṇḍasannicayo — “having lots of stuff, storing it up” — the first drawback, material accumulation.
saṁsaṭṭho viharati gahaṭṭhapabbajitehi — “mixing closely with laypeople and renunciates” — the fourth, social drawback.
sāpekkho pakkamati — “leaves with reluctance, missing the place” — the fifth and culminating drawback, genuine attachment.
samavatthavāsa — “staying for a reasonable length of time” — the positive counterpart to overstaying.
The text
The discourse in full: five drawbacks of overstaying, and five benefits of staying a reasonable length of time. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five drawbacks of overstaying
§1“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks of overstaying. What five? You have a lot of stuff and store it up. You have a lot of medicine and store it up. You have a lot of duties and responsibilities, and become capable in whatever needs to be done. You mix closely with laypeople and renunciates, socializing inappropriately like a layperson. And when you leave that monastery, you miss it. These are the five drawbacks of overstaying.
Five benefits of staying a reasonable length of time
§2There are these five benefits of staying for a reasonable length of time. What five? You don’t have a lot of stuff and store it up. You don’t have a lot of medicine and store it up. You don’t have a lot of duties and responsibilities, or become capable in whatever needs to be done. You don’t mix closely with laypeople and renunciates, socializing inappropriately like a layperson. And when you leave that monastery, you don’t miss it. These are the five benefits of staying for a reasonable length of time.”
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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 five drawbacks does this discourse name for overstaying in a dwelling?
Correct: A. A sequence from material accumulation to emotional attachment.
Question 2 of 10
What sequence do the five drawbacks build through, according to this guide?
Correct: A. Culminating in genuine attachment to the place.
Question 3 of 10
What does 'sāpekkho pakkamati' mean?
Correct: A. The fifth and culminating drawback, genuine attachment.
Question 4 of 10
How does this discourse relate to AN 5.221-222?
Correct: A. Together sketching a single balanced ideal.
Question 5 of 10
What ideal do AN 5.221-223 together suggest?
Correct: A. A balanced middle path between two extremes.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'bahubhaṇḍo, bahubhaṇḍasannicayo' mean?
Correct: A. The first drawback, material accumulation.
Question 7 of 10
What does this discourse's fourth drawback concern?
Correct: A. The social drawback, before the culminating attachment.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'samavatthavāsa' mean?
Correct: A. The positive counterpart to overstaying.
Question 9 of 10
What discourse follows, sharing this discourse's title but naming different content?
Correct: A. The five kinds of stinginess, under the same title 'overstaying'.
Question 10 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: A. 'Long Wandering', this session's twenty-third chapter.
