Aññindriyasutta
Three faculties relating to stages in the realization of awakening.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni.“Mendicants, there are these three faculties.1.2Katamāni tīṇi?What three?1.3Anaññātaññassāmītindriyaṁ, aññindriyaṁ, aññātāvindriyaṁ—The faculty of understanding that enlightenment is imminent. The faculty of enlightenment. The faculty of one who is enlightened.11.4imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi indriyānī”ti.These are the three faculties.”
1.5Tatiyaṁ.
Found at DN 33:1.10.111 and Iti 62:2.3, this went on to become a standard set in later Theravāda.
“The faculty of understanding that one’s enlightenment is imminent” is literally, “The faculty aware that ‘I shall know the unknown’.”
The verses at Iti 62 help explain the meaning; see notes there for a detailed discussion. In brief, late canonical texts (followed by the commentary) identify the three with (1) the path to stream-entry, (2) from stream-entry until the path to arahantship, and (3) the realization of arahantship. I disagree, and think they apply to: (1) the path to arahantship; (2) the occasion of realizing arahantship; (3) one living as an arahant.
