The Buddha teaches on wilderness, presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.110 Wilderness

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Katamehi pañcahi?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu;

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;

āraddhavīriyo viharati thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;

āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevitun”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Phāsuvihāravaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sārajjaṁ saṅkito coro,
Sukhumālaṁ phāsu pañcamaṁ;
Ānanda sīlāsekhā ca,
Cātuddiso araññena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ.

“Mendicants, when a mendicant has five qualities they’re ready to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, 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.

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

āraddhavīriyo viharati thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;

They live with energy roused up. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu alaṁ araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevitun”ti.

When a mendicant possesses these five qualities they’re ready to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.”

Dasamaṁ.

Phāsuvihāravaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sārajjaṁ saṅkito coro,

Sukhumālaṁ phāsu pañcamaṁ;

Ānanda sīlāsekhā ca,

Cātuddiso araññena cāti.

Topics & 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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Flexible

Flexible

A quality of the cultivated mind—malleable, workable, and free from rigidity and resistance. Akin to refined gold, a flexible mind is suitable for cultivation of direct knowledge.

Also known as: gentle, pliable, workable, malleable, yielding, ready, suitable for use
Pāli: mudu, kammañña, soracca
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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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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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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026