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

AN 5.195 Piṅgiyānī

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni licchavisatāni bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti. Appekacce licchavī nīlā honti nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī pītā honti pītavaṇṇā pītavatthā pītālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī lohitakā honti lohitakavaṇṇā lohitakavatthā lohitakālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī odātā honti odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā. Tyassudaṁ bhagavā atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā ca.

Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“Paṭibhātu taṁ piṅgiyānī”ti bhagavā avoca. Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāya gāthāya abhitthavi:

“Padmaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ,
Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ;
Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ,
Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

Atha kho te licchavī pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi piṅgiyāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ acchādesuṁ. Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesi.

Atha kho bhagavā te licchavī etadavoca:

“pañcannaṁ, licchavī, ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ? Tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desetā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā dhammānudhammappaṭipanno puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Kataññū katavedī puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, licchavī, pañcannaṁ ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmin”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni licchavisatāni bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti.

Now at that time around five hundred Licchavis were visiting the Buddha.

Appekacce licchavī nīlā honti nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī pītā honti pītavaṇṇā pītavatthā pītālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī lohitakā honti lohitakavaṇṇā lohitakavatthā lohitakālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī odātā honti odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā.

Some of the Licchavis were in blue, of blue color, clad in blue, adorned with blue. And some were similarly colored in yellow, red, or white.

Tyassudaṁ bhagavā atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā ca.

But the Buddha outshone them all in beauty and glory.

Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then the brahmin Piṅgīyānī rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Paṭibhātu taṁ piṅgiyānī”ti bhagavā avoca.

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāya gāthāya abhitthavi:

So the brahmin Piṅgīyānī extolled the Buddha in his presence with a fitting verse.

“Padmaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ,

“Like a fragrant pink lotus

Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ;

that blooms at daybreak, its fragrance unfaded—

Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ,

see Aṅgīrasa shine,

Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

bright as the sun in the sky!”

Atha kho te licchavī pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi piṅgiyāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ acchādesuṁ.

Then those Licchavis clothed Piṅgiyānī with five hundred upper robes.

Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesi.

And Piṅgiyānī clothed the Buddha with them.

Atha kho bhagavā te licchavī etadavoca:

Then the Buddha said to the Licchavis:

“pañcannaṁ, licchavī, ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

“Licchavis, the appearance of five treasures is rare in the world.

Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ?

What five?

Tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

A Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.

Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desetā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

A teacher of the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One.

Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

An individual who understands the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One.

Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā dhammānudhammappaṭipanno puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

An individual who practices in line with the teaching.

Kataññū katavedī puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ.

An individual who is grateful and thankful.

Imesaṁ kho, licchavī, pañcannaṁ ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmin”ti.

The appearance of these five treasures is rare in the world.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

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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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