Paṭhamavinayadharasutta — Vinayavagga — the eighth chapter of the Sevens
Setting
None stated in the source
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
A single-paragraph bare list of seven qualities, the first of eight closely related discourses in this chapter
Length
under 1 minute to read
Part of a set of eight
AN 7.75-82 share four opening items and a closing item; only one middle item varies across four content variants, each stated twice with a different verb (“is” an expert here, “shines as” one at AN 7.79-82)
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — brief and formulaic, best read as part of its full set of eight
Why this discourse
AN 7.75 opens a set of eight closely related discourses defining an expert in the monastic law, naming four items every version in the set shares, one item that varies across four content variants, and a closing pair every version also shares — here specifying ethical, restrained conduct as the variable item.
Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
A mendicant who knows what is and isn't an offense, knows what is a light or a serious offense, is ethical and restrained in the monastic code, gets the four absorptions at will, and realizes undefiled freedom in this very life is an expert in the monastic law.
Four items shared by all eight discourses in this set
Knowing what is an offense, what is not an offense, what is a light offense, and what is a serious offense open every one of AN 7.75 through 7.82 identically — a foundation of technical knowledge about the monastic code that every version of “expert in the monastic law” in this set requires.
One item that varies, four ways, across the set
This discourse specifies the fifth item as being ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting oneself well, and seeing danger in the slightest fault — one of four different fifth items this chapter cycles through across its set of eight, the others being mastery of both monastic codes in detail, being firm and unfaltering in training, and recollecting past lives paired with clairvoyance.
A closing pair shared by all eight
Getting the four absorptions at will and realizing undefiled freedom of heart and wisdom in this very life close this discourse and (with one exception among the set of eight, noted at AN 7.78) every other version as well — combining technical Vinaya knowledge with genuine meditative and liberating attainment as what “expert in the monastic law” actually requires, rather than legal knowledge alone.
Key terms
vinayadhara — “an expert in the monastic law” — this discourse's own title and the quality all eight discourses in this set define.
āpatti, anāpatti — “an offense”, “not an offense” — the first two of four opening items shared by all eight discourses in this set.
lahukā āpatti, garukā āpatti — “a light offense”, “a serious offense” — the third and fourth shared opening items.
sīlavā hoti pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto — “ethical, restrained in the monastic code” — this discourse's own variant for the fifth, variable item.
catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ... nikāmalābhī — “gets the four absorptions... when they want” — the sixth item, shared by this discourse and most others in the set.
The text
The discourse in full, a single bare list. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Seven qualities of an expert in the monastic law
§1“Mendicants, a mendicant with seven qualities is an expert in the monastic law. What seven? They know what is an offense. They know what is not an offense. They know what is a light offense. They know what is a serious offense. They’re ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty. They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. A mendicant with these seven qualities is an expert in the monastic law.”
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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 four items open every one of AN 7.75 through 7.82 identically?
Correct: B. A shared technical foundation across the entire set of eight discourses.
Question 2 of 6
What does this specific discourse name as its fifth, variable item?
Correct: B. One of four different fifth items this chapter's set of eight cycles through.
Question 3 of 6
According to the guide, how many different content variants does this fifth item cycle through across the full set of eight discourses?
Correct: C. Four distinct variants, each stated twice with a different framing verb.
Question 4 of 6
What two items close this discourse?
Correct: B. A shared closing pair combining meditative attainment with genuine liberation.
Question 5 of 6
According to the guide, is legal knowledge of the monastic code alone enough to be called an expert in it here?
Correct: B. A combination of technical and attained qualities, not legal knowledge alone.
Question 6 of 6
What framing verb does this discourse use, distinguishing it from AN 7.79-82's otherwise similar discourses?
Correct: B. "Is" (hoti) here, versus "shines as" (sobhati) in the chapter's second set of four.
