Reading guide
The predicted parallel, now fully confirmed
This project's own SN 48.16 declined to assume the parallel would extend to a third matching closing — confirmed here by direct reading, this discourse's own closing is WORD FOR WORD the same “not barren” assurance already met at SN 48.14, completing the mirror between the two triptychs in full.
Two triptychs, six discourses, one shared internal structure
Confirmed by direct reading across all six discourses (SN 48.12-17), both triptychs follow the IDENTICAL internal sequence: first with no closing generalization, second with the disparity-of-faculties chain, third with the not-barren assurance — differing only in whether the scale itself is the six-level “brief” version or the nine-level “detailed” version.
Proportional success, even at the finest resolution
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own proportionality statement — full practice succeeding fully, partial practice succeeding partially — and its own assurance that the five faculties are never barren, apply equally whether one's own attainment is measured on the six-level or nine-level scale.
Key terms
The text
§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 one who is extinguished between one life and the next … one who is extinguished upon landing … one who is extinguished without extra effort … one who is extinguished with extra effort … one who heads upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm … a once-returner … a stream-enterer … a follower of teachings … a follower by faith. So, mendicants, if you practice fully you succeed fully. If you practice partially you succeed partially. But in any case, these five faculties are not barren, I say.”
Self-check quiz
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