The Buddha describes the four individuals—the confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of ascetics, and and how is an individual a confirmed ascetic?.

AN 4.89 Right View

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Samaṇamacalo, samaṇapuṇḍarīko, samaṇapadumo, samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, sammāsaṅkappo hoti, sammāvāco hoti, sammākammanto hoti, sammāājīvo hoti, sammāvāyāmo hoti, sammāsati hoti, sammāsamādhi hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, sammāsaṅkappo hoti, sammāvāco hoti, sammākammanto hoti, sammāājīvo hoti, sammāvāyāmo hoti, sammāsati hoti, sammāsamādhi hoti, sammāñāṇī hoti, sammāvimutti hoti, no ca kho aṭṭha vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti …pe… sammāvimutti hoti, aṭṭha ca vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito …pe… yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Samaṇamacalo, samaṇapuṇḍarīko, samaṇapadumo, samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo.

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of ascetics.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti?

And how is an individual a confirmed ascetic?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, sammāsaṅkappo hoti, sammāvāco hoti, sammākammanto hoti, sammāājīvo hoti, sammāvāyāmo hoti, sammāsati hoti, sammāsamādhi hoti.

It’s when a mendicant has right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti.

That’s how an individual is a confirmed ascetic.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti?

And how is an individual a white lotus ascetic?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, sammāsaṅkappo hoti, sammāvāco hoti, sammākammanto hoti, sammāājīvo hoti, sammāvāyāmo hoti, sammāsati hoti, sammāsamādhi hoti, sammāñāṇī hoti, sammāvimutti hoti, no ca kho aṭṭha vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati.

It’s when they have right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. But they don’t have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti.

That’s how an individual is a white lotus ascetic.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti?

And how is an individual a pink lotus ascetic?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiko hoti …pe… sammāvimutti hoti, aṭṭha ca vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati.

It’s when they have right view … and right freedom. And they do have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti.

That’s how an individual is a pink lotus ascetic.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti?

And how is an individual a delicate ascetic of ascetics?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito …pe… yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti.

It’s when a mendicant usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept … And if anyone should be rightly called a delicate ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

Ethical conduct

Ethical conduct

A disciplined way of living grounded in harmlessness and integrity. Ethical conduct restrains the body and speech from harm, purifies behavior, and forms the foundation for collectedness and wisdom.

Also known as: moral integrity, right action, virtue
Pāli: sīla, sammākammanta
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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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Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
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Right livelihood

Right livelihood

Means of living that does not cause harm to others or oneself; earning a living ethically without deceit, exploitation, or violence.

Also known as: correct livelihood, right mode of earning a living
Pāli: sammāājīva
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Right speech

Right speech

Speech that is purified by abstaining from falsehood, divisive talk, harsh words, and idle chatter.

Also known as: truthful speech, honest speech, kind speech, beneficial speech, harmonious speech, articulate words, eloquent communication
Pāli: sammāvācā
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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026