The Buddha teaches on a senior mendicant, presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.98 A Senior Mendicant

“Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, phāsuyeva viharati. Katamehi dasahi?

Thero hoti rattaññū cirapabbajito,

sīlavā hoti …pe…

samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu, bahussuto hoti …pe…

diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdho, ubhayāni kho panassa pātimokkhāni vitthārena svāgatāni honti suvibhattāni suppavattīni suvinicchitāni suttaso anubyañjanaso,

adhikaraṇasamuppādavūpasamakusalo hoti,

dhammakāmo hoti piyasamudāhāro abhidhamme abhivinaye uḷārapāmojjo,

santuṭṭho hoti itarītaracīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena,

pāsādiko hoti abhikkantapaṭikkante susaṁvuto antaraghare nisajjāya,

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,

āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, phāsuyeva viharatī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, phāsuyeva viharati.

“Mendicants, a senior mendicant with ten qualities lives comfortably in whatever region they live.

Katamehi dasahi?

What ten?

Thero hoti rattaññū cirapabbajito,

They are long standing and have long gone forth.

sīlavā hoti …pe…

They’re ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu, bahussuto hoti …pe…

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdho, ubhayāni kho panassa pātimokkhāni vitthārena svāgatāni honti suvibhattāni suppavattīni suvinicchitāni suttaso anubyañjanaso,

Both monastic codes have been passed down to them in detail, well analyzed, well mastered, well evaluated in both the rules and accompanying material.

adhikaraṇasamuppādavūpasamakusalo hoti,

They’re skilled in the instigation and settlement of disciplinary issues.

dhammakāmo hoti piyasamudāhāro abhidhamme abhivinaye uḷārapāmojjo,

They love the teachings and are a delight to converse with, being full of joy in the teaching and training.

santuṭṭho hoti itarītaracīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena,

They’re content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

pāsādiko hoti abhikkantapaṭikkante susaṁvuto antaraghare nisajjāya,

They look impressive when going out and coming back, and are well restrained when sitting in an inhabited area.

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, phāsuyeva viharatī”ti.

A senior mendicant with these ten qualities lives comfortably in whatever region they live.”

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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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026