The Buddha categorizes four kinds of persons based on their meditative attainments. He emphasizes urgent exertion to develop internal tranquility of mind and the penetrative vision of the Dhammas

AN 4.93  Dutiya samādhi sutta - Collectedness (Second)

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

“|Bhikkhus,::::| there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo lābhī hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.

Here, |bhikkhus,::::| a certain person gains internal tranquility of mind but does not gain the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo lābhī hoti adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, na lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa.

But here, |bhikkhus,::::| a certain person gains the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom but does not gain internal tranquility of mind.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na ceva lābhī hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa na ca lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.

But here, |bhikkhus,::::| a certain person gains neither internal tranquility of mind nor the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.

But here, |bhikkhus,::::| a certain person gains both internal tranquility of mind and the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ puggalo lābhī hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, tena, bhikkhave, puggalena ajjhattaṁ cetosamathe patiṭṭhāya adhipaññādhammavipassanāya yogo karaṇīyo. So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.

There, |bhikkhus,::::| the person who gains internal tranquility of mind but does not gain the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom, that person, |bhikkhus,::::| established in internal tranquility of mind, should make an exertion for the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom. At a later time, he gains both internal tranquility of mind and the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ puggalo lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya na lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, tena, bhikkhave, puggalena adhipaññādhammavipassanāya patiṭṭhāya ajjhattaṁ cetosamathe yogo karaṇīyo. So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti adhipaññādhammavipassanāya lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa.

There, |bhikkhus,::::| the person who gains the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom but does not gain internal tranquility of mind, that person, |bhikkhus,::::| established in the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom, should make an exertion for internal tranquility of mind. At a later time, he gains both the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom and internal tranquility of mind.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ puggalo na ceva lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa na ca lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, tena, bhikkhave, puggalena tesaṁyeva kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭilābhāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo ādittasīso tasseva celassa sīsassa nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tena puggalena tesaṁyeva kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭilābhāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ. So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.

There, |bhikkhus,::::| the person who gains neither internal tranquility of mind nor the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom, that person, |bhikkhus,::::| for the sake of gaining those very wholesome Dhammas, should act with intense desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, |resolute intention::indefatigability [appaṭivānī]|, mindfulness, and clear awareness. Just as|, bhikkhus,::::| when one’s clothes or head are on fire, for the sake of extinguishing one’s clothes or head, one would act with intense desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, resolute intention, mindfulness, and clear awareness; even so, |bhikkhus,::::| that person, for the sake of gaining those very wholesome Dhammas, should act with intense desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, resolute intention, mindfulness, and clear awareness. At a later time, he gains both internal tranquility of mind and the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ puggalo lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, tena, bhikkhave, puggalena tesuyeva kusalesu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya uttari āsavānaṁ khayāya yogo karaṇīyo.

There, |bhikkhus,::::| the person who gains both internal tranquility of mind and the penetrative vision of the Dhammas through higher wisdom, that person, bhikkhus, established in those very wholesome Dhammas, should make a further exertion for the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]|.

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

These|, bhikkhus,::::| are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”

Qualities:

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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Penetrative vision

Penetrative vision

Penetrative vision that discerns phenomena as they arise and pass away, clearly seeing their conditioned nature without clinging.

Also known as: insight into phenomena, clear seeing of the Dhammas
Pāli: vipassanā, dhammavipassanā, anupadadhammavipassanā
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Tranquility

Tranquility

A mental quality of calm and stillness that arises when the body and mind are unburdened by agitation.

Also known as: calmness, peacefulness, serenity
Pāli: passaddhi, santi, upasama, upasanta
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Last updated on June 7, 2026