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

AN 4.245 The Benefits of Training

“Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā paññāya samavekkhitā honti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā vimuttiyā phusitā honti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti? ‘Iti aparipūraṁ ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti aparipūraṁ ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti asamavekkhitaṁ dhammaṁ paññāya samavekkhissāmi, samavekkhitaṁ dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti aphusitaṁ dhammaṁ vimuttiyā phusissāmi, phusitaṁ dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti.

‘Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyan’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ.

“Mendicants, this spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti?

And how is training its benefit?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya.

Firstly, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with supplementary regulations in order to inspire confidence in those without it and to increase confidence in those who have it.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

They undertake whatever supplementary regulations I have laid down, keeping them intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Furthermore, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

They undertake whatever training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I have laid down, keeping it intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti.

That’s how training is its benefit.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti?

And how is wisdom its overseer?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā paññāya samavekkhitā honti.

They examine with wisdom any teachings I taught them.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti.

That’s how wisdom is its overseer.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti?

And how is freedom its core?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā vimuttiyā phusitā honti.

They experience through freedom any teachings I taught them.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti.

That’s how freedom is its core.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti?

And how is mindfulness its ruler?

‘Iti aparipūraṁ ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with supplementary regulations, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with supplementary regulations I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti aparipūraṁ ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti asamavekkhitaṁ dhammaṁ paññāya samavekkhissāmi, samavekkhitaṁ dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll examine with wisdom the teaching that I haven’t yet examined, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already examined.’

‘Iti aphusitaṁ dhammaṁ vimuttiyā phusissāmi, phusitaṁ dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’tiajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll experience through freedom the teaching that I haven’t yet experienced, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already experienced.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti.

That’s how mindfulness is its ruler.

‘Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyan’ti,

‘This spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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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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Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
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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