Saṁyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
48. Indriya Saṁyutta
I. Suddhika-vaggo

48. Kindred Sayings on the Faculties
I. Purity

Sutta 6

Paṭhama Samaṇabrāhmaṇā Suttaṁ

Recluses and Brahmins (a)¹

 

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THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these five controlling powers.

What five?

The controlling power of faith,
the controlling power of energy,
the controlling power of mindfulness,
the controlling power of concentration,
the controlling power of insight.

These are the five controlling powers.

Monks, whatsoever recluses or brahmins understand not,
as they really are
the arising,
the perishing of,
the escape from
these five controlling powers,
such are not worthy to be accounted recluses among recluses,
nor among brahmins as brahmins;
nor have those worthies of themselves understood,
or even in this life realized,
the goal of recluseship
or of brahminhood,
nor do they dwell in the attainment of it.

But, monks, those recluses or brahmins who have under- [171] stood
as they really are
the arising,
the perishing of,
the escape from
these five controlling powers,
such are worthy to be accounted among recluses as recluses,
and among brahmins as brahmins:
and those worthies have of themselves understood
and even in this life have realized
the goal of recluseship
and brahminhood,
and they do dwell in the attainment thereof."

 

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¹ Cf. K.S. ii, 15, etc. [Ed. this is SN 2.12.13; pg. 11, or text pg.13]