Reading guide
A causal recasting, not a new definition
Confirmed by direct reading, energy and mindfulness are defined here as “the energy/mindfulness that's gained OWING TO” (ārabbha... paṭilabhati) the four right efforts and the four kinds of mindfulness meditation respectively — a subtly different framing from SN 48.9's own brief statement (the faculty simply IS the practice) and SN 48.10's own full formula (spelling the practice out).
Three faculties unchanged, two recast
This project's own direct comparison confirms faith, immersion, and wisdom are defined here WORD FOR WORD as in SN 48.9 and SN 48.10 — only energy and mindfulness are recast, both now framed as an ACQUISITION resulting from practice rather than the practice or its own outcome stated directly.
A new vagga, whose own name is not yet explained
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse opens Mudutaravagga (“Weaker”) — this project has not yet found, within this single opening discourse, what specifically the vagga's own name refers to, and will confirm rather than guess as further discourses in this vagga are reached.
Key terms
The text
§1“Mendicants, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. And what is the faculty 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 faculty of faith. And what is the faculty of energy? The energy that’s gained owing to the four right efforts. This is called the faculty of energy. And what is the faculty of mindfulness? The mindfulness that’s gained owing to the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. This is called the faculty of mindfulness. And what is the faculty of immersion? It’s when a noble disciple, relying on letting go, gains immersion, gains unification of mind. This is called the faculty of immersion. And what is the faculty 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 faculty of wisdom. These are the five faculties.”
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