Reading guide
The question
A mendicant simply asks the Buddha how ‘one who lives by the teaching’ is defined — a term evidently already in use, not one the Buddha is introducing for the first time.
Three who study, teach, and recite too much
Three parallel false candidates are named in turn: one who studies a lot (pariyattibahula), spending the whole day memorizing the teaching; one who advocates a lot (paññattibahula), spending the whole day teaching it to others; and one who rehearses a lot (sajjhāyabahula), spending the whole day reciting it. Each is said to neglect retreat and fail to commit to internal serenity of heart — and each, despite the activity's evident value, is denied the title dhammavihārī.
One who thinks too much
A fourth candidate, one who thinks a lot (vitakkabahula), spends the whole day turning the teaching over mentally — considering, examining, reflecting on it — with the identical diagnosis: retreat neglected, serenity uncultivated.
The one who truly lives by the teaching
The true dhammavihārī performs the identical activity as the first false candidate — memorizing the same ninefold body of material: statements, mixed prose and verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations (vedalla) — but does not neglect retreat, and is committed to internal serenity. The deciding difference is never the activity itself, only whether it crowds out retreat and serenity.
The Buddha's instruction
The discourse closes with the Buddha naming what he has done for this mendicant — what a sympathetic teacher who wants the best for disciples should do — and issuing a direct exhortation: here are roots of trees, here are empty huts; practice absorption, don't be negligent, don't regret it later.
A pair to come
AN 5.74 restates this entire structure with a sharper, different diagnostic axis: not whether retreat is neglected, but whether the deeper meaning of what is memorized is actually understood.
Key terms
The text
The question
§1Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, they speak of ‘one who lives by the teaching’. How is a mendicant who lives by the teaching defined?”
Three who study, teach, and recite too much
§2“Mendicant, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching—statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They spend too much time studying that teaching. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. That mendicant is called one who studies a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.
§3Furthermore, a mendicant teaches Dhamma in detail to others as they learned and memorized it. They spend too much time advocating that teaching. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. That mendicant is called one who advocates a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.
§4Furthermore, a mendicant rehearses the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it. They spend too much time reciting that teaching. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. That mendicant is called one who rehearses a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.
One who thinks too much
§5Furthermore, a mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. They spend too much time thinking about that teaching. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. That mendicant is called one who thinks a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.
The one who truly lives by the teaching
§6Take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching—statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They don’t spend too much time studying that teaching. They don’t neglect retreat, and they’re committed to internal serenity of heart. That’s how a mendicant is one who lives by the teaching.
The Buddha's instruction
§7So, mendicant, I’ve taught you the one who studies a lot, the one who advocates a lot, the one who rehearses a lot, the one who thinks a lot, and the one who lives by the teaching. Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicant! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”
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