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?.

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

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sekho hoti appattamānaso, anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamāno viharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati: ‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā …pe… iti saññā …pe… iti saṅkhārā …pe… iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti; no ca kho aṭṭha vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati: ‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā …pe… iti saññā …pe… iti saṅkhārā …pe… iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti; 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… mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya samaṇesu samaṇasukhumāloti.

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

Dasamaṁ.

Macalavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pāṇātipāto ca musā,
avaṇṇakodhatamoṇatā;
Putto saṁyojanañceva,
diṭṭhi khandhena te dasāti.

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 sekho hoti appattamānaso, anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamāno viharati.

It’s when a mendicant is a trainee who hasn’t achieved their heart’s desire, but lives aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

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 pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati:

It’s when a mendicant meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.

‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;

‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.

iti vedanā …pe…

Such is feeling …

iti saññā …pe…

Such is perception …

iti saṅkhārā …pe…

Such are choices …

iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti;

Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’

no ca kho aṭṭha vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati.

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 pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati:

It’s when a mendicant meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.

‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;

‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.

iti vedanā …pe…

Such is feeling …

iti saññā …pe…

Such is perception …

iti saṅkhārā …pe…

Such are choices …

iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti;

Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’

aṭṭha ca vimokkhe kāyena phusitvā viharati.

And they 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… 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.”

Dasamaṁ.

Macalavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pāṇātipāto ca musā,

avaṇṇakodhatamoṇatā;

Putto saṁyojanañceva,

diṭṭhi khandhena te dasāti.

Topics & Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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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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Safety

Safety

A state of complete security and refuge where there is no threat from defilements or the turbulence of becoming. It is the peace of one who has found shelter from the storms of craving and has nothing left to lose or fear.

Also known as: sanctuary, security, at peace, rest
Pāli: khema
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Last updated on July 27, 2026