Practicing

Paṭipannasutta

One who has developed the five faculties fully is a perfected one. Developing them to a lesser degree, one reaches lesser attainments. One who has none of them at all is an outsider.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.18Linked Discourses 48.18
0.22. Mudutaravagga2. Weaker

0.3PaṭipannasuttaPracticing

1.1“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni.“Mendicants, there are these five faculties.1.2Katamāni pañca?What five?1.3Saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ—The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.1.4imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni.These are the five faculties.

1.5Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ samattā paripūrattā arahaṁ hoti, tato mudutarehi arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti.Someone who has completed and fulfilled these five faculties is a perfected one. If they are weaker than that, they’re practicing to realize the fruit of perfection … a non-returner … practicing to realize the fruit of non-return … a once-returner … practicing to realize the fruit of once-return … a stream-enterer … practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry.1.6Yassa kho, bhikkhave, imāni pañcindriyāni sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ natthi, tamahaṁ ‘bāhiro puthujjanapakkhe ṭhito’ti vadāmī”ti.Someone who totally and utterly lacks these five faculties stands outside in the faction of ordinary persons, I say.”¹

1.7Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

While it the five qualities of faith, etc., are found among those who are unenlightened, and even, as potential, among all beings, it is only on entering the noble path that they are considered “faculties” with the decisive power to overcome their opposites.

The expression “stands outside in the faction of ordinary persons” is found only here and SN 55.40:2.1. In both cases it indicates individuals who are not noble ones, but who nonetheless may be Buddhists. Bāhira (“outside”) here should be distinguished from the more common bāhiraka (“outsider”), which refers to non-Buddhists.

↩ sn48.18:1.6