AN4_162: Vittharasutta

Vittharasutta - translated by Bhikkhu Anīgha

“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā. “Bhikkhus, there are four kinds of practice. Katamā catasso? What four?

  1. Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā, Unpleasant practice with slow insight,
  2. dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā, unpleasant practice with swift insight,
  3. sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā, pleasant practice with slow insight, and
  4. sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā. pleasant practice with swift insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā? And what’s the unpleasant practice with slow insight? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. It’s when someone is by nature acutely given to passion, and often experiences the pain and displeasure born of passion. Pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature acutely given to aversion, and often experience the pain and displeasure born of aversion. Pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature acutely given to muddledness, and often experience the pain and displeasure born of muddledness. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti—These five faculties manifest in them weakly: saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ. faith, effort, recollection, composure, and understanding. *These five faculties are only present in the eight noble individuals (who are all irreversibly bound for enlightenment) as stated in SN 48.12. In other words, the entire discourse technically applies to noble ones only, and even they cannot simply choose the pleasant practice. So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. Because of this, they only slowly come into proximity of the destruction of the influxes. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā. This is called the unpleasant practice with slow insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā? And what’s the unpleasant practice with swift insight? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. It’s when someone is by nature acutely given to passion, and often experiences the pain and displeasure born of passion. Pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature acutely given to aversion, and often experience the pain and displeasure born of aversion. Pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti, abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature acutely given to muddledness, and often experience the pain and displeasure born of muddledness. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—And these five faculties manifest in them strongly: saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ. faith, effort, recollection, composure, and understanding. So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. Because of this, they swiftly come into proximity of the destruction of the influxes. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā. This is called the unpleasant practice with swift insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā? And what’s pleasant practice with slow insight? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. It’s when someone is by nature not acutely given to passion, and doesn’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of passion. Pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature not acutely given to aversion, and don’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of aversion. Pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature not acutely given to muddledness, and don’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of muddledness. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti—These five faculties manifest in them weakly: saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ. faith, effort, recollection, composure, and understanding. So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. Because of this, they only slowly come into proximity of the destruction of the influxes. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā. This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā? And what’s the pleasant practice with swift insight? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. It’s when someone is by nature not acutely given to passion, and doesn’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of passion. Pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature not acutely given to aversion, and don’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of aversion. Pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti, nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. They’re by nature not acutely given to muddledness, and don’t often experience the pain and displeasure born of muddledness. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—These five faculties manifest in them strongly: saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ. faith, effort, recollection, composure, and understanding. So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya. Because of this, they swiftly come into proximity of the destruction of the influxes. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā. This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā”ti. These are the four kinds of practice.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an4.162