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Numbered Discourses · AN 5.56

  • Numbered Discourses 5.56Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.56
  • 6. Hindrances6. Nīvaraṇavagga

MentorUpajjhāyasutta

Then a mendicant went up to his own mentor, and said,Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena sako upajjhāyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sakaṁ upajjhāyaṁ etadavoca: “Now, sir, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.”“etarahi me, bhante, madhurakajāto ceva kāyo, disā ca me na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ nappaṭibhanti, thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, atthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchā”ti.

Then that mendicant took his protégé to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,Atha kho so bhikkhu taṁ saddhivihārikaṁ bhikkhuṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, this mendicant says this:“ayaṁ, bhante, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘Now, sir, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.’”‘etarahi me, bhante, madhurakajāto ceva kāyo, disā ca maṁ na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca me nappaṭibhanti, thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, atthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti.

“That’s how it is, mendicant, when your sense doors are unguarded, you eat too much, you’re not dedicated to wakefulness, you’re unable to discern skillful qualities, and you don’t pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Your body feels like it’s drugged. You’re disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill your mind. You lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.“Evañhetaṁ, bhikkhu, hoti indriyesu aguttadvārassa, bhojane amattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ ananuyuttassa, avipassakassa kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyuttassa viharato, yaṁ madhurakajāto ceva kāyo hoti, disā cassa na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca taṁ nappaṭibhanti, thinamiddhañcassa cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati, hoti cassa dhammesu vicikicchā.

So you should train like this:Tasmātiha te, bhikkhu, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I will guard my sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’‘indriyesu guttadvāro bhavissāmi, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, vipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyutto viharissāmī’ti. That’s how you should train.”Evañhi te, bhikkhu, sikkhitabban”ti.

When that mendicant had been given this advice by the Buddha, he rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavatā iminā ovādena ovadito uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then that mendicant, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.”“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. And that mendicant became one of the perfected.Aññataro pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosi.

When that mendicant had attained perfection, he went up to his own mentor, and said,Atha kho so bhikkhu arahattaṁ patto yena sako upajjhāyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sakaṁ upajjhāyaṁ etadavoca: “Now, sir, my body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. I’m not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings.”“etarahi me, bhante, na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo, disā ca me pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ paṭibhanti, thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, natthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchā”ti.

Then that mendicant took his protégé to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,Atha kho so bhikkhu taṁ saddhivihārikaṁ bhikkhuṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, this mendicant says this:“ayaṁ, bhante, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘Now, sir, my body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. I’m not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings.’”‘etarahi me, bhante, na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo, disā ca me pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ paṭibhanti, thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, natthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti.

“That’s how it is, mendicant, when your sense doors are guarded, you’re moderate in eating, you’re dedicated to wakefulness, you’re able to discern skillful qualities, and you pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Your body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. You’re not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill your mind. You lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings.“Evañhetaṁ, bhikkhu, hoti indriyesu guttadvārassa, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttassa, vipassakassa kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa viharato, yaṁ na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo hoti, disā cassa pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca taṁ paṭibhanti, thinamiddhañcassa cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati, na cassa hoti dhammesu vicikicchā.

So you should train like this:Tasmātiha vo, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘We will guard our sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’‘indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttā, vipassakā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttā viharissāmā’ti. That’s how you should train.”Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”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 6.17 Sleep 0.74near 6.1“No, sir.” “Good, mendicants! I too have never seen or heard of such a thing. So you should train like this: ‘We will guard our sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and…
  2. MN 107 With Moggallāna the Accountant 0.62near 6.1When they guard their sense doors, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, eat in moderation. Reflect rationally on the food that you eat: “Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to s…
  3. MN 85 With Prince Bodhi 0.56near 3.4Listen up, mendicants: I have achieved freedom from death! I shall instruct you, I will teach you the Dhamma. By practicing as instructed you will soon realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very l…
  4. MN 39 The Longer Discourse at Assapura 0.56near 6.1Now, mendicants, you might think, ‘We have conscience and prudence, our bodily, verbal, and mental behavior is pure, our livelihood is pure, our sense doors are restrained, we don’t eat too much, and we are dedicated to…
  5. SN 35.120 Sāriputta and the Protégé 0.54near 6.1In the middle watch, they lie down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. In the last watch, they get up and continue to pr…
  6. MN 26 The Noble Quest 0.51near 3.4So I said to them, ‘Mendicants, have you ever known me to speak like this before?’ ‘No sir, we have not.’ ‘The Realized One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. Listen up, mendicants: I have achieved freedom from death…
  7. SN 47.46 Restraint in the Monastic Code 0.51near 3.4Then that mendicant, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which…