Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
The seven powers — faith, energy, conscience, prudence, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom — are each defined in turn, with immersion alone requiring all four absorptions to state in full.
Faith as confidence in a specific, quoted formula
The power of faith is defined not as a vague trust but as confidence in a specific epithet formula for the Buddha — “perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct...” — the same standard nine-part formula recurring throughout this literature wherever the Buddha's qualities are invoked in full.
Immersion alone requires the entire fourfold jhāna sequence
Where the other six powers each receive one or two sentences of definition, the power of immersion is defined by naming all four absorptions in sequence, from the first (with applied and sustained thought, rapture, and bliss) through the fourth (with pure equanimity and mindfulness) — by far the longest single definition on this page.
Wisdom, defined narrowly as insight into arising and passing away
Where paññā, wisdom, is sometimes treated broadly elsewhere in this literature, this discourse defines the power of wisdom specifically as “the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering” — a narrower, impermanence-focused definition rather than a general claim about intelligence or learning.
Key terms
The text
The seven powers named
§1“Mendicants, there are these seven powers. What seven? The powers of faith, energy, conscience, prudence, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.
Faith, energy, conscience, and prudence, defined
§2And what is the power of faith? It’s when a noble disciple has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘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.’ This is called the power of faith. And what is the power of energy? It’s when a noble disciple lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. This is called the power of energy. And what is the power of conscience? It’s when a noble disciple has a conscience. They’re conscientious about bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and conscientious about acquiring any bad, unskillful qualities. This is called the power of conscience. And what is the power of prudence? It’s when a noble disciple is prudent. They’re prudent when it comes to bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and prudent when it comes to the acquiring of any bad, unskillful qualities. This is called the power of prudence.
Mindfulness, defined
§3And what is the power of mindfulness? It’s when a noble disciple is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago. This is called the power of mindfulness.
Immersion, defined through all four absorptions
§4And what is the power of immersion? It’s when a noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. … With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. This is called the power of immersion. And what is the power of wisdom? It’s when a noble disciple is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is called the power of wisdom. These are the seven powers.
Wisdom, defined, and the closing verse
§5The powers are faith and energy, conscience and prudence, mindfulness and immersion, and wisdom as the seventh power. Empowered by these, an astute mendicant lives happily. They should examine the teaching rationally, discerning the meaning with wisdom. The liberation of their heart is like a lamp going out.”
Self-check quiz
6 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.