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

AN 4.179 Extinguishment

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti?

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti.

“Ko panāvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti?

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Ānanda sat down to one side, and said to Sāriputta:

“ko nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti?

“What is the cause, Reverend Sāriputta, what is the reason why some sentient beings are not fully extinguished in this very life?”

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.

“Reverend Ānanda, it’s because some sentient beings don’t really understand which perceptions make things worse, which keep things steady, which lead to distinction, and which lead to penetration.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti.

That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are not fully extinguished in this very life.”

“Ko panāvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti?

“What is the cause, Reverend Sāriputta, what is the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in this very life?”

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti.

“Reverend Ānanda, it’s because some sentient beings truly understand which perceptions make things worse, which keep things steady, which lead to distinction, and which lead to penetration.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti.

That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in this very life.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

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