The Buddha teaches on the training of a holy one, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.160 The Training of a Holy One

“Sugato vā, bhikkhave, loke tiṭṭhamāno sugatavinayo tadassa bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sugato? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sugato.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sugatavinayo? So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sugatavinayo. Evaṁ sugato vā, bhikkhave, loke tiṭṭhamāno sugatavinayo tadassa bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānanti.

Cattārome, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame cattāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū duggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti dunnikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. Dunnikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi dunnayo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dubbacā honti dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā akkhamā appadakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te na sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti. Tesaṁ accayena chinnamūlako suttanto hoti appaṭisaraṇo. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū bāhulikā honti sāthalikā, okkamane pubbaṅgamā, paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. Sāpi hoti bāhulikā sāthalikā, okkamane pubbaṅgamā, paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattantīti.

Cattārome, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame cattāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti sunikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. Sunikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi sunayo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suvacā honti sovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā khamā padakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti. Tesaṁ accayena nacchinnamūlako suttanto hoti sappaṭisaraṇo. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, 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, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Indriyavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Indriyāni saddhā paññā,
sati saṅkhānapañcamaṁ;
Kappo rogo parihāni,
bhikkhunī sugatena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sugato vā, bhikkhave, loke tiṭṭhamāno sugatavinayo tadassa bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.

“Mendicants, a Holy One or a Holy One’s training remain in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sugato?

And who is a Holy One?

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.

It’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sugato.

This is a Holy One.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sugatavinayo?

And what is the training of a Holy One?

So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.

He proclaims a teaching that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sugatavinayo.

This is the training of a Holy One.

Evaṁ sugato vā, bhikkhave, loke tiṭṭhamāno sugatavinayo tadassa bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānanti.

This is how a Holy One or a Holy One’s training remain in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.

Cattārome, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These four things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū duggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti dunnikkhittehi padabyañjanehi.

Firstly, the mendicants memorize discourses that they learned incorrectly, with misplaced words and phrases.

Dunnikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi dunnayo hoti.

When the words and phrases are misplaced, the meaning is misinterpreted.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the first thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dubbacā honti dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā akkhamā appadakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ.

Furthermore, the mendicants are hard to admonish, having qualities that make them hard to admonish. They’re impatient, and don’t take instruction respectfully.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the second thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te na sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti.

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—don’t carefully make others recite the discourses.

Tesaṁ accayena chinnamūlako suttanto hoti appaṭisaraṇo.

When they pass away, the discourses are cut off at the root, with no-one to preserve them.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the third thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū bāhulikā honti sāthalikā, okkamane pubbaṅgamā, paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

Furthermore, the senior mendicants are indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion, not rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

Those who come after them follow their example.

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

They too become indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion, not rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fourth thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattantīti.

These are four things that lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Cattārome, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These four things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti sunikkhittehi padabyañjanehi.

Firstly, the mendicants memorize discourses that have been learned correctly, with well placed words and phrases.

Sunikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi sunayo hoti.

When the words and phrases are well placed, the meaning is interpreted correctly.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the first thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suvacā honti sovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā khamā padakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ.

Furthermore, the mendicants are easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the second thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti.

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—carefully make others recite the discourses.

Tesaṁ accayena nacchinnamūlako suttanto hoti sappaṭisaraṇo.

When they pass away, the discourses aren’t cut off at the root, and they have someone to preserve them.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the third thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū na bāhulikā honti na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā, paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

Furthermore, 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.

Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

Those who come after them follow their example.

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

They too aren’t indulgent or slack …

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fourth thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

These are four things that lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.”

Dasamaṁ.

Indriyavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Indriyāni saddhā paññā,

sati saṅkhānapañcamaṁ;

Kappo rogo parihāni,

bhikkhunī sugatena cāti.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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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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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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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026