Reading guide
Eleven items, spelled out for the only time
Confirmed by reading the full file directly: this is the one discourse in the entire saṃyutta where every member of every numbered list is individually named — not just “the four foundations of mindfulness” as SN 43.5 named it, but body, feelings, mind, and principles named one at a time in turn, and likewise for every other list through the eightfold path's own eight factors.
A textual quirk, reported rather than smoothed over
The first item (serenity) closes with this saṃyutta's own full exhortation — “here are these roots of trees…” — even though ten more items follow it; every item after that elides its own closing until the eleventh and last (the eightfold path) restores it once more at the discourse's own true end. This reading guide reports the asymmetry as found in bilara-data rather than silently normalizing it.
The template the rest of Dutiyavagga leans on
From SN 43.13 through SN 43.43, no discourse will spell out these eleven formulations again — each instead names a fresh synonym for the goal and cross-references back to this discourse's own full recitation with some variant of “tell in full as in the unconditioned,” confirmed by reading SN 43.13 directly.
Key terms
The text
The unconditioned defined, and serenity as the first path
§1“Mendicants, I will teach you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned. Listen … And what is the unconditioned? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion. This is called the unconditioned. And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned? Serenity. This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned. So, mendicants, I’ve taught you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned. Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”
Discernment, as the second path
§2“Mendicants, I will teach you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned. Listen … And what is the unconditioned? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion. This is called the unconditioned. And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned? Discernment. This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned. …”
Three grades of immersion by applied and sustained thought
§3“And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned? Immersion with placing the mind and keeping it connected. … Immersion without placing the mind, merely keeping it connected. … Immersion without placing the mind or keeping it connected. …
The three liberating immersions
§4Emptiness immersion. … Signless immersion. … Undirected immersion. …
The four foundations of mindfulness, named one by one
§5A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. … A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of feelings … A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the mind … A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of principles …
The four right efforts, named one by one
§6A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. … A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities are given up. … A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that skillful qualities arise. … A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. …
The four bases of psychic power, named one by one
§7A mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. … A mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy … immersion due to mental development … immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. …
The five faculties, named one by one
§8A mendicant develops the faculty of faith, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. … A mendicant develops the faculty of energy … mindfulness … immersion … wisdom, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …
The five powers, named one by one
§9A mendicant develops the power of faith … energy … mindfulness … immersion … wisdom, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …
The seven awakening factors, named one by one
§10A mendicant develops the awakening factor of mindfulness … investigation of principles … energy … rapture … tranquility … immersion … equanimity, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …
The noble eightfold path, named one by one, and the formula's own true close
§11A mendicant develops right view … right purpose … right speech … right action … right livelihood … right effort … right mindfulness … right immersion, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned. So, mendicants, I’ve taught you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned. Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”
Self-check quiz
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