The Buddha teaches on urgent, presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.92 Urgent

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Idha, bhikkhave, kassako gahapati sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karoti sumatikataṁ. Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karitvā sumatikataṁ sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpeti. Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpetvā sīghaṁ sīghaṁ udakaṁ abhinetipi apanetipi. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni. Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa natthi iddhi ānubhāvo vā: ‘ajjeva me dhaññāni jāyantu, sveva gabbhīni hontu, uttarasveva paccantū’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa kassakassa gahapatissa tāni dhaññāni utupariṇāmīni jāyantipi gabbhīnipi honti paccantipi.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīṇimāni bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Adhisīlasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhicittasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhipaññāsikkhāsamādānaṁ imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni. Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno natthi iddhi ānubhāvo vā: ‘ajjeva me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccatu sve uttarasve vā’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa bhikkhuno adhisīlampi sikkhato adhicittampi sikkhato adhipaññampi sikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘tibbo no chando bhavissati adhisīlasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhicittasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhipaññāsikkhāsamādāne’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.

“Mendicants, a farmer has three urgent duties.

Katamāni tīṇi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, kassako gahapati sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karoti sumatikataṁ.

A farmer swiftly makes sure the field is well ploughed and tilled.

Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karitvā sumatikataṁ sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpeti.

Next they swiftly plant seeds in season.

Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpetvā sīghaṁ sīghaṁ udakaṁ abhinetipi apanetipi.

When the time is right, they swiftly irrigate or drain the field.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.

These are the three urgent duties of a farmer.

Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa natthi iddhi ānubhāvo vā:

That farmer has no special power or ability to say:

‘ajjeva me dhaññāni jāyantu, sveva gabbhīni hontu, uttarasveva paccantū’ti.

‘Let the crops germinate today! Let them flower tomorrow! Let them ripen the day after!’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa kassakassa gahapatissa tāni dhaññāni utupariṇāmīni jāyantipi gabbhīnipi honti paccantipi.

But there comes a time when that farmer’s crops germinate, flower, and ripen as the seasons change.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīṇimāni bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.

In the same way, a mendicant has three urgent duties.

Katamāni tīṇi?

What three?

Adhisīlasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhicittasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhipaññāsikkhāsamādānaṁ

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

imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.

These are the three urgent duties of a mendicant.

Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno natthi iddhi ānubhāvo vā:

That mendicant has no special power or ability to say:

‘ajjeva me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccatu sve uttarasve vā’ti.

‘Let my mind be freed from defilements by not grasping today! Or tomorrow! Or the day after!’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa bhikkhuno adhisīlampi sikkhato adhicittampi sikkhato adhipaññampi sikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

But there comes a time—as that mendicant trains in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom—that their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘tibbo no chando bhavissati adhisīlasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhicittasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhipaññāsikkhāsamādāne’ti.

‘We will have keen enthusiasm for undertaking the training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
View all discourses →
Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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