A brief statement of the five faculties, followed by a graduated scale of six levels of attainment defined by their own weakening degree
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★★☆ — confirms, at last, what this vagga's own name, Mudutaravagga (“Weaker”), actually refers to
Why this discourse
This discourse confirms exactly what SN 48.11 declined to guess: the vagga's own name, Mudutaravagga (“Weaker”), refers to the FIVE FACULTIES' OWN DEGREE OF COMPLETION — someone who has completed and fulfilled them is an arahant; weaker than that, a non-returner; weaker still, a once-returner; weaker still, a stream-enterer; weaker still, a follower of teachings; weaker still, a follower by faith.
Reading guide
The vagga's own name, confirmed rather than guessed
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own repeated word “mudutarehi” (“weaker than that”) is exactly the term giving this vagga its own name — this project's own caution at SN 48.11, declining to guess the name's own reference, is now vindicated by direct textual confirmation.
Six levels, marked by the same faculties' own weakening degree
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse names six distinct levels — arahant, non-returner, once-returner, stream-enterer, follower of teachings (dhammānusārī), and follower by faith (saddhānusārī) — each marked off from the one above it not by a DIFFERENT quality, but by the SAME five faculties held to a progressively weaker degree.
A single spectrum, not five separate scales
This discourse's own phrase “samattā paripūrattā” (“completed and fulfilled”) is confirmed by direct reading to describe the five faculties TOGETHER as one combined measure, with each of the six levels representing one point along a single shared spectrum of completion rather than five independent gradations.
Key terms
mudutara — “weaker” — this discourse's own repeated term, giving this vagga its own name, here confirmed to mean the faculties' own degree of completion
samattā paripūrattā — “completed and fulfilled” — the condition marking the highest level, the arahant
anāgāmī... sakadāgāmī... sotāpanno — “non-returner... once-returner... stream-enterer” — three of the four traditional stages of awakening, each marked by a progressively weaker degree of the faculties
dhammānusārī — “follower of teachings” — the second-lowest level named, distinguished by wisdom as the leading faculty
saddhānusārī — “follower by faith” — the lowest level named, distinguished by faith as the leading faculty
The text
The complete discourse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. These are the five faculties. Someone who has completed and fulfilled these five faculties is a perfected one. If they are weaker than that, they’re a non-returner. If they are weaker still, they’re a once-returner. If they are weaker still, they’re a stream-enterer. If they’re weaker still, they’re a follower of teachings. If they’re weaker still, they’re a follower by faith.”
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What does this discourse confirm about the vagga's own name, Mudutaravagga ("Weaker")?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading, vindicating this project's own caution at SN 48.11 not to guess in advance.
Question 2 of 3
How many levels of attainment does this discourse name, and what distinguishes them from each other?
Correct: A. Arahant, non-returner, once-returner, stream-enterer, follower of teachings, and follower by faith.
Question 3 of 3
How does this discourse treat the five faculties across the six levels?
Correct: A. "Completed and fulfilled" describes the five faculties together as one measure.
