The Buddha teaches on training (3rd), presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.88 Training (3rd)

“Sādhikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati yattha attakāmā kulaputtā sikkhanti. Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati. Katamā tisso? Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ paripūrakārī paññāya paripūrakārī. So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā. Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

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

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā, rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā ekabījī hoti, ekaṁyeva mānusakaṁ bhavaṁ nibbattetvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā kolaṅkolo hoti, dve tīṇi kulāni sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sattakkhattuparamo hoti, sattakkhattuparamaṁ deve ca manusse ca sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṁ paripūrakārī ārādheti padesaṁ padesakārī. Avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhāpadāni vadāmī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sādhikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati yattha attakāmā kulaputtā sikkhanti.

“Mendicants, each fortnight over a hundred and fifty training rules come up for recitation, in which gentlemen who desire self-knowledge train.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.

These are all included in the three trainings.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā

The training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.

imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.

These are the three trainings that include them all.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ paripūrakārī paññāya paripūrakārī.

Take the case of a mendicant who has fulfilled their ethics, immersion, and wisdom.

So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi.

They break some lesser and minor training rules, but are restored.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.

Because I don’t say they’re incapable of that.

Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

But they’re constant and steady in their precepts regarding the training rules that are fundamental, befitting the spiritual path. They keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

So āsavānaṁ 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.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā, rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, they’re a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā ekabījī hoti, ekaṁyeva mānusakaṁ bhavaṁ nibbattetvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of three fetters, they’re a one-seeder. They will be reborn just one time in a human existence, then make an end of suffering.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā kolaṅkolo hoti, dve tīṇi kulāni sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of three fetters, they go from family to family. They will transmigrate between two or three families and then make an end of suffering.

Taṁ pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sattakkhattuparamo hoti, sattakkhattuparamaṁ deve ca manusse ca sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

If they don’t penetrate so far, with the ending of three fetters, they have at most seven rebirths. They will transmigrate at most seven times among gods and humans and then make an end of suffering.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṁ paripūrakārī ārādheti padesaṁ padesakārī.

So, mendicants, if you practice fully you succeed fully. If you practice partially you succeed partially.

Avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhāpadāni vadāmī”ti.

But in any case, these training rules are not barren, I say.”

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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026