The Buddha teaches on nun, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.159 Nun

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

Atha kho aññatarā bhikkhunī aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yenayyo ānando tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vanda: ‘itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā. ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadehi: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, ayyo ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Evaṁ, ayye”ti kho so puriso tassā bhikkhuniyā paṭissutvā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “Itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā. āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti. Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā ānando tuṇhībhāvena.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhikkhunī āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvā sasīsaṁ pārupitvā mañcake nipajji. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā ānando taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:

“Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya. Āhāro pahātabbo. Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya. Taṇhā pahātabbā. Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya. Māno pahātabbo. Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo. Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā.

‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya. Āhāro pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya. Iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi. Yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti. So aparena samayena āhāraṁ nissāya āhāraṁ pajahati. ‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya āhāro pahātabbo’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya. Taṇhā pahātabbā’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti: ‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti. So aparena samayena taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhaṁ pajahati. ‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhā pahātabbā’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya. Māno pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti: ‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘so hi nāma āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissati; kimaṅgaṁ panāhan’ti. So aparena samayena mānaṁ nissāya mānaṁ pajahati. ‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo, mānaṁ nissāya māno pahātabbo’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo. Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā”ti.

Atha kho bhikkhunī mañcakā vuṭṭhahitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā āyasmato ānandassa pādesu sirasā nipatitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yāhaṁ evamakāsiṁ. Tassā me, bhante, ayyo ānando accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu, āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.

“Taggha taṁ, bhagini, accayo accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, tvaṁ evamakāsi. Yato ca kho tvaṁ, bhagini, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma. Vuddhi hesā, bhagini, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjatī”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

Atha kho aññatarā bhikkhunī aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi:

And then a certain nun addressed a man,

“ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yenayyo ānando tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vanda:

“Please, my man, go to Venerable Ānanda, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

‘itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā.

‘Sir, the nun named so-and-so is sick, suffering, and gravely ill.

ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadehi:

She bows with her head to your feet.’ And then say:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, ayyo ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

‘Sir, please go to the nuns’ quarters to visit that nun out of sympathy.’”

“Evaṁ, ayye”ti kho so puriso tassā bhikkhuniyā paṭissutvā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“Yes, ma’am,” that man replied. He did as the nun asked.

“Itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā.

āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā ānando tuṇhībhāvena.

Ānanda consented with silence.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena bhikkhunupassayo yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami.

Then Ānanda robed up and went to the nuns’ quarters to visit that nun, taking his bowl and robe.

Addasā kho bhikkhunī āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

That nun saw Ānanda coming off in the distance.

Disvā sasīsaṁ pārupitvā mañcake nipajji.

She wrapped herself up from head to foot and laid down on her cot.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā ānando taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to her, and sat down on the seat spread out. Then Ānanda said to the nun:

“Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya.

“Sister, this body is produced by food. Relying on food,

Āhāro pahātabbo.

you should give up food.

Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya.

This body is produced by craving. Relying on craving,

Taṇhā pahātabbā.

you should give up craving.

Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya.

This body is produced by conceit. Relying on conceit,

Māno pahātabbo.

you should give up conceit.

Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo.

This body is produced by sex.

Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā.

The Buddha spoke of breaking off everything to do with sex.

‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya.

‘This body is produced by food. Relying on food,

Āhāro pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

you should give up food.’ This is what I said,

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

but why did I say it?

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti:

Take a mendicant who reflects rationally on the food that they eat:

‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya. Iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi. Yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will have the means to keep going, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.’

So aparena samayena āhāraṁ nissāya āhāraṁ pajahati.

After some time, relying on food, they give up food.

‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya āhāro pahātabbo’ti,

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

That’s why I said what I said.

‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya.

‘This body is produced by craving. Relying on craving,

Taṇhā pahātabbā’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

you should give up craving.’ This is what I said,

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

but why did I say it?

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti:

Take a mendicant who hears this:

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

‘They say that the mendicant named so-and-so has realized 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.’

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

They think:

‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti.

‘Oh, when will I too realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. …’

So aparena samayena taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhaṁ pajahati.

After some time, relying on craving, they give up craving.

‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhā pahātabbā’ti,

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

That’s why I said what I said.

‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya.

‘This body is produced by conceit. Relying on conceit,

Māno pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

you should give up conceit.’ This is what I said,

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

but why did I say it?

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti:

Take a mendicant who hears this:

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

‘They say that the mendicant named so-and-so has realized 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.’

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

They think:

‘so hi nāma āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissati;

‘Well, that venerable can realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. …

kimaṅgaṁ panāhan’ti.

Why can’t I?’

So aparena samayena mānaṁ nissāya mānaṁ pajahati.

After some time, relying on conceit, they give up conceit.

‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo, mānaṁ nissāya māno pahātabbo’ti,

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

That’s why I said what I said.

Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo.

‘This body is produced by sex.

Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā”ti.

The Buddha spoke of breaking off everything to do with sex.’”

Atha kho bhikkhunī mañcakā vuṭṭhahitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā āyasmato ānandassa pādesu sirasā nipatitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

Then that nun rose from her cot, placed her robe over one shoulder, bowed with her head at Ānanda’s feet, and said,

“accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yāhaṁ evamakāsiṁ.

“I made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me to act in that way.

Tassā me, bhante, ayyo ānando accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu, āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.

Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I can restrain myself in future.”

“Taggha taṁ, bhagini, accayo accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, tvaṁ evamakāsi.

“Indeed, sister, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you to act in that way.

Yato ca kho tvaṁ, bhagini, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma.

But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it.

Vuddhi hesā, bhagini, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjatī”ti.

For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future.”

Navamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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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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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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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
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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