The Buddha teaches the wanderer on happiness (2nd), presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.66 Happiness (2nd)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto magadhesu viharati nālakagāmake. Atha kho sāmaṇḍakāni paribbājako yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sāmaṇḍakāni paribbājako āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso, sāriputta, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye sukhaṁ, kiṁ dukkhan”ti?

“Anabhirati kho, āvuso, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkhā, abhirati sukhā. Anabhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ dukkhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ gacchantopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ nādhigacchati, ṭhitopinisinnopisayānopigāmagatopiaraññagatopirukkhamūlagatopisuññāgāragatopiabbhokāsagatopibhikkhumajjhagatopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ nādhigacchati. Anabhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ dukkhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ.

Abhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ sukhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ gacchantopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ adhigacchati, ṭhitopinisinnopisayānopigāmagatopiaraññagatopirukkhamūlagatopisuññāgāragatopiabbhokāsagatopibhikkhumajjhagatopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ adhigacchati. Abhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ sukhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhan”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto magadhesu viharati nālakagāmake.

At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying in the land of the Magadhans near the little village of Nālaka.

Atha kho sāmaṇḍakāni paribbājako yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the wanderer Sāmaṇḍakāni went up to Venerable Sāriputta and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sāmaṇḍakāni paribbājako āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Sāmaṇḍakāni sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta:

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso, sāriputta, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye sukhaṁ, kiṁ dukkhan”ti?

“Reverend Sāriputta, in this teaching and training, what is happiness and what is suffering?”

“Anabhirati kho, āvuso, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkhā, abhirati sukhā.

“Reverend, in this teaching and training dissatisfaction is suffering and satisfaction is happiness.

Anabhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ dukkhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ

When you’re dissatisfied, you can expect this kind of suffering.

gacchantopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ nādhigacchati,

You find no happiness or pleasure while walking …

ṭhitopi

standing …

nisinnopi

sitting …

sayānopi

or lying down …

gāmagatopi

or when in a village …

araññagatopi

a wilderness …

rukkhamūlagatopi

at the root of a tree …

suññāgāragatopi

an empty hut …

abbhokāsagatopi

the open air …

bhikkhumajjhagatopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ nādhigacchati.

or when among the mendicants.

Anabhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ dukkhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ.

When you’re dissatisfied, this is the kind of suffering you can expect.

Abhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ sukhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ

When you’re satisfied, you can expect this kind of happiness.

gacchantopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ adhigacchati,

You find happiness or pleasure while walking …

ṭhitopi

standing …

nisinnopi

sitting …

sayānopi

or lying down …

gāmagatopi

or when in a village …

araññagatopi

a wilderness …

rukkhamūlagatopi

at the root of a tree …

suññāgāragatopi

an empty hut …

abbhokāsagatopi

the open air …

bhikkhumajjhagatopi sukhaṁ sātaṁ adhigacchati.

or when among the mendicants.

Abhiratiyā, āvuso, sati idaṁ sukhaṁ pāṭikaṅkhan”ti.

When you’re satisfied, this is the kind of happiness you can expect.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

Contentment

Contentment

The quality of being satisfied with the requisites one has and with the present conditions, resulting in having few desires and being free from agitation.

Also known as: fewness of wishes, having few desires, satisfaction, sense of ease
Pāli: santutthi, appicchatā, tuṭṭha, tosana
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Discontentment

Discontentment

A state of dissatisfaction with one's requisites or conditions. It fuels the search for more, disturbing peace and preventing the mind from settling into collectedness.

Also known as: dissatisfaction, unsatisfactoriness, boredom
Pāli: asantuṭṭhitā, aratī, atitta
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wrong speech

Wrong speech

Speech that deceives, divides, wounds, or wastes. It includes lying, slander, harshness, and idle chatter. Such speech distorts truth, breaks trust, and stirs the mind toward harm and discord.

Also known as: false speech, lying, divisive, slanderous or defamatory or malicious speech, abusive or rude or unkind way of speaking, meaningless talk or idle chatter or gossip
Pāli: musāvāda, pisuṇavācā, pharusāvācā, samphappalāpa
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Last updated on July 27, 2026