The Buddha describes the five powers—faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom—and how they support practice on the path.

AN 5.15 Should Be Seen

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, balāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhābalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, satibalaṁ, samādhibalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, saddhābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ? Catūsu sotāpattiyaṅgesu. Ettha saddhābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, vīriyabalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ? Catūsu sammappadhānesu. Ettha vīriyabalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, satibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ? Catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu. Ettha satibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, samādhibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ? Catūsu jhānesu. Ettha samādhibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, paññābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ? Catūsu ariyasaccesu. Ettha paññābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca balānī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, balāni.

“Mendicants, there are these five powers.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Saddhābalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, satibalaṁ, samādhibalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

The powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, saddhābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ?

And where should the power of faith be seen?

Catūsu sotāpattiyaṅgesu.

In the four factors of stream-entry.

Ettha saddhābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, vīriyabalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ?

And where should the power of energy be seen?

Catūsu sammappadhānesu.

In the four right efforts.

Ettha vīriyabalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, satibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ?

And where should the power of mindfulness be seen?

Catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu.

In the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

Ettha satibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, samādhibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ?

And where should the power of immersion be seen?

Catūsu jhānesu.

In the four absorptions.

Ettha samādhibalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Kattha ca, bhikkhave, paññābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ?

And where should the power of wisdom be seen?

Catūsu ariyasaccesu.

In the four noble truths.

Ettha paññābalaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca balānī”ti.

These are the five powers.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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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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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026