Kathāsutta — 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 developing mindfulness of breathing
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, the trio's second member
Why this discourse
Keeping AN 5.96's three simple-living qualities and its closing review-of-freedom factor, this discourse swaps in a different fourth item: access, freely and easily, to talk on self-effacement (ābhisallekhikā kathā) — the identical ten-topic cluster already given in full at AN 5.90.
Reading guide
The same trio, a different fourth item
This discourse keeps AN 5.96's three simple-living qualities and closing review-of-freedom factor unchanged, swapping in access to talk on self-effacement as the fourth item — the same ten topics named in full at AN 5.90: fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, keeping one's distance, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom.
Developing, not cultivating
This discourse's framing verb is bhāvento (developing), rather than AN 5.96's āsevanto (cultivating) — the second of this trio's three near-synonymous verbs.
Why swap the fourth item at all
Treating ‘the fourth slot’ as somewhat interchangeable among several markers of genuine practice — deep learning at AN 5.96, serious talk here — while keeping the other four items fixed is itself a variation-within-formula device already used elsewhere in this nipāta.
The ten topics, cited rather than repeated
Since AN 5.90 already gave this list in full, this reading guide does not re-list all ten topics here; see that discourse for the complete cluster.
What comes next
AN 5.98 completes this trio, swapping the fourth item once more for a different marker of serious practice: actually living in the wilderness.
Key terms
ābhisallekhikā kathā — talk on self-effacement — this discourse's fourth item, first given in full at AN 5.90.
bhāvento — “developing” — this discourse's verb for mindfulness of breathing, the second of the trio's three.
appicchakathā — talk on fewness of wishes — the first of the ten topics named at AN 5.90.
nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī — “attaining at will, without trouble, without difficulty” — describing access to this talk.
yathāvimuttaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhati — “reviewing the extent of one's mind's freedom” — the fifth item, shared with AN 5.96.
The text
The discourse in full: mindfulness of breathing, simple living, access to serious talk, and self-review. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Mindfulness of breathing, and five qualities
§1“Mendicants, a mendicant developing mindfulness of breathing who has five things will soon penetrate the unshakable. What five? It’s when a mendicant has few concerns 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 get to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, keeping your distance, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. They review the extent of their mind’s freedom. A mendicant developing 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 three qualities does this discourse share with AN 5.96?
Correct: A. The trio's three shared simple-living qualities.
Question 2 of 10
What fourth item does this discourse use instead of AN 5.96's deep-learning quality?
Correct: B. The same ten-topic cluster given in full at AN 5.90.
Question 3 of 10
Where was this same ten-topic 'self-effacement talk' cluster first given in full?
Correct: B. This chapter's earlier closing discourse.
Question 4 of 10
What verb frames this discourse's relationship to mindfulness of breathing?
Correct: B. The second of the trio's three verbs.
Question 5 of 10
How does that verb differ from AN 5.96's?
Correct: B. Cultivating, developing, and practicing are near-synonyms here.
Question 6 of 10
What is the fifth item, shared with AN 5.96?
Correct: B. Constant across this whole trio of discourses.
Question 7 of 10
What device do these three discourses (96–98) use to vary their fourth item while keeping the rest fixed?
Correct: B. Already used elsewhere in this nipāta's near-duplicate pairs.
Question 8 of 10
Does this reading guide re-list all ten 'self-effacement talk' topics in full?
Correct: B. Following this project's convention of citing rather than repeating.
Question 9 of 10
What comes after this discourse in the trio?
Correct: A. The trio's third and final member.
Question 10 of 10
What does AN 5.98 swap in as its own distinguishing fourth item?
