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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.90

  • Numbered Discourses 4.90Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.90
  • 9. Confirmed9. Macalavagga

AggregatesKhandhasutta

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four?Katame cattāro? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of ascetics.Samaṇamacalo, samaṇapuṇḍarīko, samaṇapadumo, samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo.

And how is an individual a confirmed ascetic?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti? It’s when a mendicant is a trainee who hasn’t achieved their heart’s desire, but lives aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sekho hoti appattamānaso, anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamāno viharati. That’s how an individual is a confirmed ascetic.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti.

And how is an individual a white lotus ascetic?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti? It’s when a mendicant meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati: ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form.‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling …iti vedanā …pe… Such is perception …iti saññā …pe… Such are choices …iti saṅkhārā …pe… Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti; But they don’t have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations.no ca kho aṭṭha vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati. That’s how an individual is a white lotus ascetic.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti.

And how is an individual a pink lotus ascetic?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti? It’s when a mendicant meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati: ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form.‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling …iti vedanā …pe… Such is perception …iti saññā …pe… Such are choices …iti saṅkhārā …pe… Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti; And they have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations.aṭṭha ca vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati. That’s how an individual is a pink lotus ascetic.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti.

And how is an individual a delicate ascetic of ascetics?Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti? It’s when a mendicant usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept … And if anyone should be rightly called a delicate ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito …pe… mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”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 4.88 Fetters 0.74near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.88 9. Confirmed Fetters “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of asc…
  2. AN 4.87 The Son 0.74near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.87 9. Confirmed The Son “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of asc…
  3. AN 4.89 Right View 0.74near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.89 9. Confirmed Right View “Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of…