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

AN 3.95 Assemblies

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, parisā. Katamā tisso? Aggavatī parisā, vaggā parisā, samaggā parisā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, aggavatī parisā? Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ therā bhikkhū na bāhulikā honti na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. Sāpi hoti na bāhulikā na sāthalikā okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, aggavatī parisā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, vaggā parisā? Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ bhikkhū bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vaggā parisā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, samaggā parisā? Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samaggā parisā.

Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, bahuṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū tasmiṁ samaye puññaṁ pasavanti. Brahmaṁ, bhikkhave, vihāraṁ tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū viharanti, yadidaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti, kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā samuddaṁ paripūrenti.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, bahuṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū tasmiṁ samaye puññaṁ pasavanti. Brahmaṁ, bhikkhave, vihāraṁ tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū viharanti, yadidaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso parisā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, parisā.

“Mendicants, these are the three assemblies.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Aggavatī parisā, vaggā parisā, samaggā parisā.

An assembly of the best, a divided assembly, and a harmonious assembly.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, aggavatī parisā?

And what is an assembly of the best?

Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ therā bhikkhū na bāhulikā honti na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

An assembly where the senior mendicants are not indulgent or slack, nor are they backsliders. Instead, they take the lead in seclusion, rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. And those who come afterwards follow their example.

Sāpi hoti na bāhulikā na sāthalikā okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

They too are not indulgent or slack, nor are they backsliders. Instead, they take the lead in seclusion, rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, aggavatī parisā.

This is called an assembly of the best.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, vaggā parisā?

And what is a divided assembly?

Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ bhikkhū bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vaggā parisā.

An assembly where the mendicants fight, quarrel, and dispute, continually wounding each other with barbed words. This is called a divided assembly.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, samaggā parisā?

And what is a harmonious assembly?

Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samaggā parisā.

An assembly where the mendicants live in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes. This is called a harmonious assembly.

Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, bahuṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū tasmiṁ samaye puññaṁ pasavanti.

When the mendicants live in harmony like this, they brim with much merit.

Brahmaṁ, bhikkhave, vihāraṁ tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū viharanti, yadidaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā.

At that time the mendicants live in a divine dwelling, that is, the heart’s release by rejoicing.

Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti, kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā samuddaṁ paripūrenti.

It’s like when the heavens rain heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti, bahuṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū tasmiṁ samaye puññaṁ pasavanti.

In the same way, when the mendicants are in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes, they create much merit.

Brahmaṁ, bhikkhave, vihāraṁ tasmiṁ samaye bhikkhū viharanti, yadidaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā.

At that time the mendicants live in a divine dwelling, that is, the heart’s release by rejoicing.

Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso parisā”ti.

These are the three assemblies.”

Catutthaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Collectedness

Collectedness

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated.

Also known as: mental composure, stability of mind, stillness of mind, concentration, undistracted awareness
Pāli: samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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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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Merit

Merit

Wholesome result of good conduct, generosity, and right intention. Merit brightens the mind and supports happiness and favorable conditions for practice.

Also known as: good deeds, spiritual wealth
Pāli: puñña, kalyāṇa
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Solitude

Solitude

Physical seclusion from crowds and mental seclusion from unwholesome states. It provides the quietude necessary for the mind to settle, detach from worldly entanglements, and develop deep collectedness.

Also known as: seclusion, privacy, aloofness, non-association
Pāli: viveka, asaṃsaṭṭha
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Uplifting joy

Uplifting joy

An energetic mental quality that creates a sense of lift or thrill; it ranges from a gentle delight to overwhelming rapture.

Also known as: heartfelt joy, mental exhilaration, rapture, lit. refreshment
Pāli: pīti
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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
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Last updated on July 27, 2026