The Buddha describes the five kinds of suffering for an ascetic.

AN 5.128 An Ascetic’s Happiness

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, samaṇadukkhāni. Katamāni pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena cīvarena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena piṇḍapātena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena senāsanena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca samaṇadukkhāni.

Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, samaṇasukhāni. Katamāni pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena cīvarena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena piṇḍapātena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena senāsanena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca samaṇasukhānī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, samaṇadukkhāni.

“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of suffering for an ascetic.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena cīvarena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena piṇḍapātena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena senāsanena, asantuṭṭho hoti itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati.

It’s when a mendicant is not content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And they lead the spiritual life dissatisfied.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca samaṇadukkhāni.

These are five kinds of suffering for an ascetic.

Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, samaṇasukhāni.

There are these five kinds of happiness for an ascetic.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena cīvarena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena piṇḍapātena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena senāsanena, santuṭṭho hoti itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati.

It’s when a mendicant is content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And they lead the spiritual life satisfied.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca samaṇasukhānī”ti.

These are five kinds of happiness for an ascetic.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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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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Last updated on July 27, 2026