Uddhaccasutta — Tikavagga — the eleventh chapter of the Sixes, continuing the Second Fifty
Setting
None stated in the source
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
This chapter's shared template, closing its ten-discourse run of one template with a final distinct triad
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
The pairing of serenity, restraint, and diligence against restlessness, lack of restraint, and negligence recurs widely across the Chinese Āgamas' meditation instructions; this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — brief and formulaic, closing this chapter on three familiar terms from elsewhere in this collection
Why this discourse
AN 6.116 closes Tikavagga's ten-discourse run of one shared template: restlessness, lack of restraint, and negligence, reversed by serenity, restraint, and diligence — each term already met individually earlier in this collection, here drawn together into this chapter's final triad.
Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
To give up restlessness, lack of restraint, and negligence, one should develop serenity, restraint, and diligence.
Restlessness, one half of a hindrance already split apart
Uddhacca, restlessness, already appeared paired with kukkucca, remorse, as one of the five hindrances at AN 6.73 and, split further, individually at AN 6.66; here it stands alone, reversed specifically by samatha, serenity or calm, rather than by any of its earlier pairings.
Diligence, echoing this chapter's namesake theme of decline
Appamāda, diligence, and its opposite pamāda, negligence, already appeared throughout this collection — including as one of the six items blocking arahantship at AN 6.66 — a term recurring often enough across this collection that its reappearance here closes this chapter on a familiar, well-established note rather than fresh content.
Closing a chapter built from ten variations on one template
With this discourse, Tikavagga's ten discourses have named ten distinct triads — the three poisons, the three doors of conduct, one triad restated across three registers, three wrong views, and five further triads spanning discontent, contentment, correction, and now restlessness — all sharing the identical 3+3 grammatical template while differing, in every case checked, in specific content.
Key terms
uddhacca — “restlessness” — this discourse's own title term and opening blocking item, already met paired with remorse as a hindrance at AN 6.73.
asaṁvara — “lack of restraint” — the second blocking item, reversed by saṁvara, restraint.
pamāda, appamāda — “negligence, diligence” — the third pairing, a term recurring often throughout this collection, including at AN 6.66.
samatha — “serenity,” calm — the antidote to restlessness, distinct from this discourse's other two, more general antidotes.
tika — “triad” — this chapter's shared structural principle, here closing its tenth and final instance.
The text
The discourse in full: restlessness, lack of restraint, and negligence, and their three matched antidotes, closing this chapter. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Three things to give up
§1“Mendicants, there are these three things. What three? Restlessness, lack of restraint, and negligence. These are the three things.
Three things to develop against them
§2To give up these three things you should develop three things. What three? You should develop serenity to give up restlessness, restraint to give up lack of restraint, and diligence to give up negligence. These are the three things you should develop to give up those three things.”
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Self-check quiz
6 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 6
What three things does this discourse name, closing this chapter?
Correct: B. A final, distinct triad closing this chapter's ten-discourse run.
Question 2 of 6
Where has 'restlessness' (uddhacca) already appeared in this collection, according to the guide?
Correct: B. A term this collection has already treated in more than one earlier discourse.
Question 3 of 6
How does the guide summarize this chapter's overall structure, now that it is complete?
Correct: B. One shared shape, ten distinct fillings, checked individually throughout.
Question 4 of 6
What antidote is matched specifically to restlessness?
Correct: B. A distinct antidote from this discourse's other two, more general reversals.
Question 5 of 6
Where has 'diligence' (appamāda) and its opposite already appeared in this collection?
Correct: B. A well-established term recurring often enough that its reappearance here closes the chapter on familiar ground.
Question 6 of 6
Is a setting stated for AN 6.116?
Correct: B. A bare formula, matching this chapter's other discourses, closing Tikavagga.
