Sutadharasutta — Kakudhavagga — the tenth 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, framed by a mendicant cultivating mindfulness of breathing
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, opening a closely related trio
Why this discourse
This discourse opens a run of three (96, 97, 98) sharing an identical three-item core, distinguished only by a single varying fourth item and by the specific verb used for practicing mindfulness of breathing — here, cultivating (āsevanto).
Reading guide
A new cluster begins
This discourse, and the two that follow it, describe a mendicant engaged with mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānassati) who also has five further qualities, soon penetrating the unshakable — the same outcome named at AN 5.95, now given a different route.
Three simple-living qualities, shared across the coming trio
Few obligations and duties, unburdensome and contented with life's necessities; eating little, not devoted to filling the stomach; and being rarely drowsy, dedicated to wakefulness — three qualities describing an undemanding daily rhythm that leaves room for sustained meditative effort.
A fourth item: deep learning
This discourse's fourth item is the same full bahussuta formula already given at AN 5.87: thorough command of a well-rounded body of teaching, ‘good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end’.
A fifth item: reviewing one's freedom, again
As at AN 5.89 and AN 5.95, the list closes with reviewing the extent of one's mind's freedom.
Three verbs, one practice
Across this coming trio, the underlying practice is described with three different verbs: cultivating (āsevanto) here, developing (bhāvento) at AN 5.97, and practicing, or making much of (bahulīkaronto) at AN 5.98 — near-synonyms rather than three distinct practices, echoing the multiple-near-synonym pattern already used elsewhere in this nipāta.
What comes next
AN 5.97 keeps the same three simple-living qualities and the same reviewing-freedom close, but swaps the fourth item for participation in ‘self-effacement talk’, the same ten-topic cluster named in full at AN 5.90.
Key terms
ānāpānassati — mindfulness of breathing — the practice framing this whole cluster of discourses.
appaṭṭho / appakicco — “few obligations, few duties” — the first shared quality.
appāhāro — “eating little” — the second shared quality.
appamiddho — “rarely drowsy” — the third shared quality.
āsevanto / bhāvento / bahulīkaronto — cultivating / developing / practicing — the three near-synonymous verbs distinguishing this trio of discourses.
The text
The discourse in full: mindfulness of breathing, simple living, deep learning, and self-review. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Mindfulness of breathing, and five qualities
§1“Mendicants, a mendicant cultivating mindfulness of breathing who has five things will soon penetrate the unshakable. What five? It’s when a mendicant has few obligations and duties, and is unburdensome and contented with life’s necessities. They eat little, not devoted to filling their stomach. They are rarely drowsy, and are dedicated to wakefulness. 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 review the extent of their mind’s freedom. A mendicant cultivating mindfulness of breathing who has these five things will soon penetrate the unshakable.”
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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 practice frames this discourse's five qualities?
Correct: A. Ānāpānassati, opening this trio of discourses.
Question 2 of 10
What verb describes the mendicant's relationship to mindfulness of breathing here?
Correct: B. This discourse's verb, the first of the trio's three.
Question 3 of 10
Name one of the three 'simple living' qualities shared across this coming trio.
Correct: A. One of three: few duties, eating little, rarely drowsy.
Question 4 of 10
What is the fourth item in this discourse's list?
Correct: B. The same formula already given at AN 5.87.
Question 5 of 10
What is the fifth item?
Correct: B. As at AN 5.89 and AN 5.95.
Question 6 of 10
Where has the full bahussuta formula appeared before in this chapter's larger nipāta?
Correct: B. This chapter's earlier single-list discourse on the complete monastic portrait.
Question 7 of 10
Where has the 'reviewing one's mind's freedom' factor appeared before?
Correct: A. Two prior appearances in this nipāta.
Question 8 of 10
What verb does AN 5.97 use instead of this discourse's verb for mindfulness of breathing?
Correct: A. The second of the trio's three verbs.
Question 9 of 10
What verb does AN 5.98 use?
Correct: A. The third of the trio's three verbs.
Question 10 of 10
What does AN 5.97 swap in place of this discourse's fourth item?
