Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
II: Bala Vagga

The Book of the Fives

II: The Powers

Sutta 12

Kūṭa Suttaṃ aka Sekha-bala Agga Suttaṃ

The Peak

[10] [7]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these five powers of a learner.

What five?

The power of faith,
conscientiousness,
fear of blame,
energy and insight.

Monks, these are the five.

■

Monks, of these five learner's powers
this is the chief,
this is the binder,
this is the tie,
that to say:
the power of insight.

■

Monks,¹ just as in a house with a peaked roof,
this is the chief,
this is the binder,
this is the tie,²
that is to say:
the peak;
even so, monks,
of these five learner's powers
this is the chief,
this is the binder,
this is the tie,
that to say:
the power of insight.

■

Wherefore, monks, train yourselves thus:

We will become possessed of the learner's power called the power of faith;
we will become possessed of the learner's power called the power of conscientiousness;
we will become possessed of the learner's power called the power of fear of blame;
we will become possessed of the learner's power called the power of energy;
we will become possessed of the learner's power called the power of insight.

Train yourselves thus, monks.'

¹ This simile recurs at M. i, 322; for allied similes see below VI, § 53.