The Buddha teaches on ten regular reflections for a renunciate, presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.48 Ten Regular Reflections for a Renunciate

“Dasayime, bhikkhave, dhammā pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbā. Katame dasa?

‘Vevaṇṇiyamhi ajjhupagato’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Parapaṭibaddhā me jīvikā’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Añño me ākappo karaṇīyo’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Kacci nu kho me attā sīlato na upavadatī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Kacci nu kho maṁ anuvicca viññū sabrahmacārī sīlato na upavadantī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Kammassakomhi kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo,

yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi kalyāṇaṁ pāpakaṁ tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Kathaṁbhūtassa me rattindivā vītivattantī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Kacci nu kho ahaṁ suññāgāre abhiramāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Atthi nu kho me uttari manussadhammo alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato, yenāhaṁ pacchime kāle sabrahmacārīhi puṭṭho na maṅku bhavissāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa dhammā pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbā”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Dasayime, bhikkhave, dhammā pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbā.

“Mendicants, one who has gone forth should often review these ten things.

Katame dasa?

What ten?

‘Vevaṇṇiyamhi ajjhupagato’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

One who has gone forth should often review this: ‘I have secured freedom from class.’

‘Parapaṭibaddhā me jīvikā’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘My livelihood is tied up with others.’

‘Añño me ākappo karaṇīyo’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘My behavior should be different.’

‘Kacci nu kho me attā sīlato na upavadatī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘I hope there’s no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct?’

‘Kacci nu kho maṁ anuvicca viññū sabrahmacārī sīlato na upavadantī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘I hope that, after examination, sensible spiritual companions don’t reproach any aspect of my ethics?’

‘Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved.’

‘Kammassakomhi kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo,

‘I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds. Deeds are my womb, my relative, and my refuge.

yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi kalyāṇaṁ pāpakaṁ tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

I shall be the heir of whatever deeds I do, whether good or bad.’

‘Kathaṁbhūtassa me rattindivā vītivattantī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘As the days and nights pass by, what sort of person am I becoming?’

‘Kacci nu kho ahaṁ suññāgāre abhiramāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Do I love to stay in empty huts?’

‘Atthi nu kho me uttari manussadhammo alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato, yenāhaṁ pacchime kāle sabrahmacārīhi puṭṭho na maṅku bhavissāmī’ti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.

‘Do I have any superhuman distinctions in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, so that when my spiritual companions question me on my deathbed I will not be embarrassed?’

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa dhammā pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbā”ti.

One who has gone forth should often review these ten things.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Affection

Affection

A mental quality of tender affection and fond regard, often wholesome when rooted in kindness, which inclines the mind toward warmth and care. When unguarded, it may turn toward fixation upon what is 'dear,' leading the mind to attachment and the grief that follows separation from what has been clung to as 'dear'.

Also known as: fondness, love, tender regard
Pāli: pema
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Dearness

Dearness

A mental quality of holding something or someone as 'dear' through attachment, which binds the mind with craving and possessiveness. It is the external fixation upon what the mind clings to, often giving rise to envy, quarrels, and sorrow.

Also known as: beloved, cherished, pleasing
Pāli: piya
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Ethical conduct

Ethical conduct

A disciplined way of living grounded in harmlessness and integrity. Ethical conduct restrains the body and speech from harm, purifies behavior, and forms the foundation for collectedness and wisdom.

Also known as: moral integrity, right action, virtue
Pāli: sīla, sammākammanta
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Investigation

Investigation

Investigation involves the process of a careful inquiry of mental states, qualities, and phenomena, examining their arising, persisting, and ceasing in order to understand their true nature and support the cultivation of wisdom and awakening.

Also known as: inquiry, contemplation, examination, analysis, exploration
Pāli: vicaya, vīmaṃsā, parikkhati
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Vision

Vision

The corrective clarity that clearly sees into the true nature of things as they actually are.

Also known as: knowledge and vision, seeing clearly, seeing things as they are, seeing the truth, seeing the dhamma
Pāli: dassana, ñāṇadassana, yathābhūtañāṇadassana
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Last updated on July 27, 2026