The Buddha describes the four times, explaining this fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.147 Times (2nd)

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti. Katame cattāro? Kālena dhammassavanaṁ, kālena dhammasākacchā, kālena sammasanā, kālena vipassanā

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti.

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, ime cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpentī”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti.

“Mendicants, when these four times are rightly developed and reiterated, they gradually lead to the ending of defilements.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Kālena dhammassavanaṁ, kālena dhammasākacchā, kālena sammasanā, kālena vipassanā

A time for listening to the teaching, a time for discussing the teaching, a time for serenity, and a time for discernment.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti.

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, ime cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpentī”ti.

In the same way, when these four times are rightly developed and reiterated, they gradually lead to the ending of defilements.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Discernment

Discernment

Clear seeing that distinguishes what is wholesome from unwholesome, true from false.

Also known as: ability to make out distinctions, ability to discriminate, distinguish, clear seeing, penetrating internal vision
Pāli: viveka, nipaka, niccheyya
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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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Tranquility

Tranquility

A mental quality of calm and stillness that arises when the body and mind are unburdened by agitation.

Also known as: calmness, peacefulness, serenity
Pāli: passaddhi, santi, upasama, upasanta
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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