Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
A mendicant who has ended the defilements has eight powers that qualify the claim “my defilements have ended”: clearly seeing all conditions as impermanent, seeing sensual pleasures as a pit of glowing coals, a mind inclined to seclusion, and the full development of the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.
Sāriputta answers a direct question from the Buddha
Rather than the Buddha teaching this list to the mendicants directly, the Buddha poses the question to Sāriputta by name, and it is Sāriputta's own answer that constitutes the entire discourse — one of several places in this book where the Buddha's foremost disciple in wisdom speaks in his own voice.
Three insights, then five factor-groups
The first three powers are individual insights: seeing impermanence clearly, seeing sensuality as dangerous as glowing coals, and a mind that naturally inclines toward seclusion. The remaining five powers are not individual insights but entire groups of practice factors, compressed by the source's own internal ellipsis into a single flowing list.
The full architecture of practice, named in one breath
The final five powers name, in sequence, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path — the same major groupings this project has already met named together at AN 7.71 as the full thirty-seven factors of awakening, here folded into a single power among eight.
Key terms
The text
The Buddha's question to Sāriputta
§1Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Sāriputta, how many powers does a mendicant who has ended the defilements have that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended’?” “Sir, a mendicant who has ended the defilements has eight powers that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ What eight?
Three insights
§2Firstly, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom all conditions as truly impermanent. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom that sensual pleasures are truly like a pit of glowing coals. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, the mind of a mendicant with defilements ended slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion. They’re withdrawn, loving renunciation, and have totally eliminated defiling influences. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’
Five factor-groups, in one breath
§3Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four bases of psychic power … the five faculties … the seven awakening factors … the noble eightfold path. This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’ A mendicant who has ended the defilements possesses these eight powers that qualify them to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’”
Self-check quiz
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