Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
There are six topics for recollection — the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, one's own ethics, one's own generosity, and the deities — each of which, recollected, leaves the mind free of greed, hate, and delusion and unswerving, having left greed behind.
What is genuinely the same as AN 6.9/6.10
The six topics themselves, their order, and the content of each formula — the nine-epithet description of the Buddha, the four-part description of the teaching, and so on — match AN 6.10 closely. A reader who has already read AN 6.10 will recognize this material immediately rather than encountering it fresh.
What is genuinely different, checked directly against the Pāli
Unlike AN 6.10, which closed its account of Buddha- and deity-recollection with the five-step chain from joy through rapture, tranquility, and bliss to immersion, AN 6.25 closes each recollection instead with: “their mind is quite unswerving. They've left behind greed; they're free of it and have risen above it. 'Greed' is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Relying on this, some sentient beings are purified in this way.” This is a different closing formula, not a paraphrase of AN 6.10's, and this guide follows its own earlier caution against assuming similar-sounding formulas are identical without checking directly.
A discourse complete in itself
Where AN 6.9 was deliberately a bare list awaiting AN 6.10's expansion, AN 6.25 needs no companion; it states the six topics and their effect fully, in a single self-contained teaching, with no named interlocutor prompting it and no second discourse required to complete it.
A third telling still to come a fourth time
AN 6.26, immediately following, gives these same six recollections yet again — a fourth telling in this nipāta alone, this time spoken by Mahākaccāna as praise for the Buddha's teaching, with its own distinct addition not present here or at AN 6.9/6.10.
Key terms
The text
Recollection of the Buddha
§1“Mendicants, there are these six topics for recollection. What six? Firstly, a noble disciple recollects the Realized One: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. At that time their mind is quite unswerving. They’ve left behind greed; they’re free of it and have risen above it. ‘Greed’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Relying on this, some sentient beings are purified in this way.
Recollection of the teaching
§2Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’ When a noble disciple recollects the teaching their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
Recollection of the Saṅgha
§3Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
Recollection of ethics
§4Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects their own ethical precepts, which are intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. When a noble disciple recollects their ethical precepts their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
Recollection of generosity
§5Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects their own generosity: ‘I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate! Among people full of the stain of stinginess I live at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.’ When a noble disciple recollects their generosity their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
Recollection of the deities, and the conclusion
§6Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the deities: ‘There are the gods of the four great kings, the gods of the thirty-three, the gods of Yama, the joyful gods, the gods who love to create, the gods who control what is created by others, the gods of the Divinity’s host, and gods even higher than these. When those deities passed away from here, they were reborn there because of their faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. I, too, have the same kind of faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.’ When a noble disciple recollects the faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom of both themselves and the deities their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. At that time their mind is quite unswerving. They’ve left behind greed; they’re free of it and have risen above it. ‘Greed’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Relying on this, some sentient beings are purified in this way. These are the six topics for recollection.”
Self-check quiz
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