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

AN 4.194 At Sāpūga

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando koliyesu viharati sāmugaṁ nāma koliyānaṁ nigamo. Atha kho sambahulā sāmugiyā koliyaputtā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te sāmugiye koliyaputte āyasmā ānando etadavoca:

“Cattārimāni, byagghapajjā, pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sammadakkhātāni sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya. Katamāni cattāri? Sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ? Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhi. Iti evarūpiṁ sīlapārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ? Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhi. Iti evarūpiṁ cittapārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ? Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhi. Iti evarūpiṁ diṭṭhipārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ …pe… tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ? Sa kho so, byagghapajjā, ariyasāvako iminā ca sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato iminā ca cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato iminā ca diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato rajanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ virājeti, vimocanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ vimoceti. So rajanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ virājetvā, vimocanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ vimocetvā sammāvimuttiṁ phusati. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhi. Iti evarūpiṁ vimuttipārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

Imāni kho, byagghapajjā, cattāri pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sammadakkhātāni sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando koliyesu viharati sāmugaṁ nāma koliyānaṁ nigamo.

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying in the land of the Koliyans, where they have a town named Sāpūga.

Atha kho sambahulā sāmugiyā koliyaputtā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te sāmugiye koliyaputte āyasmā ānando etadavoca:

Then several Koliyans from Sāpūga went up to Ānanda, bowed, and sat down to one side. Then Venerable Ānanda said to them:

“Cattārimāni, byagghapajjā, pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sammadakkhātāni sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.

“Byagghapajjas, these four factors of trying to be pure have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

The factors of trying to be pure in ethics, mind, view, and freedom.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ?

And what is the factor of trying to be pure in ethics?

Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhi.

This is called purity of ethics.

Iti evarūpiṁ sīlapārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

They think: ‘I will fulfill such purity of ethics, or, if it’s already fulfilled, I’ll support it in every situation by wisdom.’ Their enthusiasm for that—their effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness—is called the factor of trying to be pure in ethics.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ?

And what is the factor of trying to be pure in mind?

Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhi.

This is called purity of mind.

Iti evarūpiṁ cittapārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

They think: ‘I will fulfill such purity of mind, or, if it’s already fulfilled, I’ll support it in every situation by wisdom.’ Their enthusiasm for that—their effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness—is called the factor of trying to be pure in mind.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ?

And what is the factor of trying to be pure in view?

Idha, byagghapajjā, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

Take a mendicant who truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhi.

This is called purity of view.

Iti evarūpiṁ diṭṭhipārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ …pe… tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

They think: ‘I will fulfill such purity of view, or, if it’s already fulfilled, I’ll support it in every situation by wisdom.’ Their enthusiasm for that—their effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness—is called the factor of trying to be pure in view.

Katamañca, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ?

And what is the factor of trying to be pure in freedom?

Sa kho so, byagghapajjā, ariyasāvako iminā ca sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato iminā ca cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato iminā ca diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgena samannāgato rajanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ virājeti, vimocanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ vimoceti.

That noble disciple—who has these factors of trying to be pure in ethics, mind, and view—detaches their mind from things that arouse greed, and frees their mind from things that it should be freed from.

So rajanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ virājetvā, vimocanīyesu dhammesu cittaṁ vimocetvā sammāvimuttiṁ phusati.

Doing so, they experience perfect freedom.

Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhi.

This is called purity of freedom.

Iti evarūpiṁ vimuttipārisuddhiṁ aparipūraṁ paripūressāmi paripūraṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti, yo tattha chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca, idaṁ vuccati, byagghapajjā, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṁ.

They think: ‘I will fulfill such purity of freedom, or, if it’s already fulfilled, I’ll support it in every situation by wisdom.’ Their enthusiasm for that—their effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness—is called the factor of trying to be pure in freedom.

Imāni kho, byagghapajjā, cattāri pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sammadakkhātāni sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

These four factors of trying to be pure have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.”

Catutthaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, 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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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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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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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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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