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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.166

  • Numbered Discourses 4.166Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.166
  • 17. Practice17. Paṭipadāvagga

BothUbhayasutta

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

  1. Painful practice with slow insight,Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
  2. painful practice with swift insight,dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,
  3. pleasant practice with slow insight, andsukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
  4. pleasant practice with swift insight.sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

Of these, the painful practice with slow insight is said to be inferior in both ways: because it’s painful and because it’s slow.Tatra, bhikkhave, yāyaṁ paṭipadā dukkhā dandhābhiññā, ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā ubhayeneva hīnā akkhāyati. Yampāyaṁ paṭipadā dukkhā, imināpāyaṁ hīnā akkhāyati; yampāyaṁ paṭipadā dandhā, imināpāyaṁ hīnā akkhāyati. This practice is said to be inferior in both ways.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā ubhayeneva hīnā akkhāyati.

The painful practice with swift insight is said to be inferior because it’s painful.Tatra, bhikkhave, yāyaṁ paṭipadā dukkhā khippābhiññā, ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā dukkhattā hīnā akkhāyati.

The pleasant practice with slow insight is said to be inferior because it’s slow.Tatra, bhikkhave, yāyaṁ paṭipadā sukhā dandhābhiññā, ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā dandhattā hīnā akkhāyati.

The pleasant practice with swift insight is said to be superior in both ways: because it’s pleasant, and because it’s swift.Tatra, bhikkhave, yāyaṁ paṭipadā sukhā khippābhiññā, ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā ubhayeneva paṇītā akkhāyati. Yampāyaṁ paṭipadā sukhā, imināpāyaṁ paṇītā akkhāyati; yampāyaṁ paṭipadā khippā, imināpāyaṁ paṇītā akkhāyati. This practice is said to be superior in both ways.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭipadā ubhayeneva paṇītā akkhāyati.

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

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 4.161 In Brief 0.78near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.161 17. Practice In Brief “Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four? Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and p…
  2. AN 4.162 In Detail 0.75near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.162 17. Practice In Detail “Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four? Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and…
  3. AN 4.163 Ugly 0.70near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.163 17. Practice Ugly “Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four? Painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleas…
  4. AN 4.165 Patience (2nd) 0.59near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.165 17. Practice Patience (2nd) “Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four? Impatient practice, patient practice, taming practice, and calming practice. And what’s the impatient practic…
  5. AN 4.167 Moggallāna’s Practice 0.57near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.167 17. Practice Moggallāna’s Practice Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Sāriputta…