The Buddha teaches on inspiring all around: the absorptions, presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.8 Inspiring All Around: the Absorptions

“Saddho ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti, no ca sīlavā; evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti. Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ: ‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ, sīlavā cā’ti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.

Saddho ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti sīlavā ca, no ca bahussuto …pe… bahussuto ca, no ca dhammakathikodhammakathiko ca, no ca parisāvacaroparisāvacaro ca, no ca visārado parisāya dhammaṁ desetivisārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, no ca vinayadharovinayadharo ca, no ca āraññiko pantasenāsanoāraññiko ca pantasenāsano, no ca catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhīcatunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, no ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti. Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ: ‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ, sīlavā ca, bahussuto ca, dhammakathiko ca, parisāvacaro ca, visārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, vinayadharo ca, āraññiko ca pantasenāsano, catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī assaṁ akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, sīlavā ca, bahussuto ca, dhammakathiko ca, parisāvacaro ca, visārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, vinayadharo ca, āraññiko ca pantasenāsano, catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati; evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samantapāsādiko ca hoti sabbākāraparipūro cā”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Saddho ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti, no ca sīlavā;

“Mendicants, a mendicant is faithful but not ethical.

evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.

So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ:

and should fulfill it, thinking:

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ, sīlavā cā’ti.

‘How can I become faithful and ethical?’

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.

When the mendicant is faithful and ethical, they’re complete in that respect.

Saddho ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti sīlavā ca, no ca bahussuto …pe…

A mendicant is faithful and ethical, but not learned. …

bahussuto ca, no ca dhammakathiko

they’re not a Dhamma speaker …

dhammakathiko ca, no ca parisāvacaro

they don’t frequent assemblies …

parisāvacaro ca, no ca visārado parisāya dhammaṁ deseti

they don’t teach Dhamma to the assembly with assurance …

visārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, no ca vinayadharo

they’re not an expert in the monastic law …

vinayadharo ca, no ca āraññiko pantasenāsano

they don’t stay in the wilderness, in remote lodgings …

āraññiko ca pantasenāsano, no ca catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī

they don’t get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty …

catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, no ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

they don’t realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.

So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ:

and should fulfill it, thinking:

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ, sīlavā ca, bahussuto ca, dhammakathiko ca, parisāvacaro ca, visārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, vinayadharo ca, āraññiko ca pantasenāsano, catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī assaṁ akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti.

‘How can I become faithful, ethical, and learned, a Dhamma speaker, one who frequents assemblies, one who teaches Dhamma to the assembly with assurance, an expert in the training, one who lives in the wilderness, in remote lodgings, one who gets the four absorptions when they want, and one who lives having realized the ending of defilements?’

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, sīlavā ca, bahussuto ca, dhammakathiko ca, parisāvacaro ca, visārado ca parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, vinayadharo ca, āraññiko ca pantasenāsano, catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati;

When they’re faithful, ethical, and learned, a Dhamma speaker, one who frequents assemblies, one who teaches Dhamma to the assembly with assurance, an expert in the training, one who lives in the wilderness, in remote lodgings, one who gets the four absorptions when they want, and one who lives having realized the ending of defilements,

evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.

they’re complete in that respect.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samantapāsādiko ca hoti sabbākāraparipūro cā”ti.

A mendicant who possesses these ten qualities is impressive all around, and is complete in every respect.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026