The Buddha describes the five elements of escape—take a case where a mendicant focuses on sensual pleasures, but on that their mind does not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided, but when they focus on renunciation, on that their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided, their mind is in a good state, well developed, well risen, well freed, and well detached from sensual pleasures, and they’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of sensual pleasures, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling, and this is how the escape from sensual pleasures is explained.

AN 5.200 Elements of Escape

“Pañcimā, bhikkhave, nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo. Katamā pañca?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmaṁ manasikaroto kāmesu cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati. Nekkhammaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto nekkhamme cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ kāmehi; ye ca kāmapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati. Idamakkhātaṁ kāmānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno byāpādaṁ manasikaroto byāpāde cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati. Abyāpādaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto abyāpāde cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ byāpādena; ye ca byāpādapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati. Idamakkhātaṁ byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno vihesaṁ manasikaroto vihesāya cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati. Avihesaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto avihesāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ vihesāya; ye ca vihesāpaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati. Idamakkhātaṁ vihesāya nissaraṇaṁ.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rūpaṁ manasikaroto rūpe cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati. Arūpaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto arūpe cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ rūpehi; ye ca rūpapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati. Idamakkhātaṁ rūpānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sakkāyaṁ manasikaroto sakkāye cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati. Sakkāyanirodhaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto sakkāyanirodhe cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ sakkāyena; ye ca sakkāyapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati. Idamakkhātaṁ sakkāyassa nissaraṇaṁ.

Tassa kāmanandīpi nānuseti, byāpādanandīpi nānuseti, vihesānandīpi nānuseti, rūpanandīpi nānuseti, sakkāyanandīpi nānuseti so kāmanandiyāpi ananusayā, byāpādanandiyāpi ananusayā, vihesānandiyāpi ananusayā, rūpanandiyāpi ananusayā, sakkāyanandiyāpi ananusayā. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu niranusayo, acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassa. Imā kho, bhikkhave, pañca nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Brāhmaṇavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Soṇo doṇo saṅgāravo,
Kāraṇapālī ca piṅgiyānī;
Supinā ca vassā vācā,
Kulaṁ nissāraṇīyena cāti.

Catuttho paṇṇāsako samatto.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcimā, bhikkhave, nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo.

“Mendicants, there are these five elements of escape.

Katamā pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmaṁ manasikaroto kāmesu cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.

Take a case where a mendicant focuses on sensual pleasures, but on that their mind does not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided.

Nekkhammaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto nekkhamme cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.

But when they focus on renunciation, on that their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided.

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ kāmehi;

Their mind is in a good state, well developed, well risen, well freed, and well detached from sensual pleasures.

ye ca kāmapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati.

They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of sensual pleasures, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.

Idamakkhātaṁ kāmānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

This is how the escape from sensual pleasures is explained.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno byāpādaṁ manasikaroto byāpāde cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.

Take another case where a mendicant focuses on ill will, but their mind does not leap forth …

Abyāpādaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto abyāpāde cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.

But when they focus on good will, their mind leaps forth …

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ byāpādena;

Their mind is in a good state … well detached from ill will.

ye ca byāpādapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati.

They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of ill will, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.

Idamakkhātaṁ byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ.

This is how the escape from ill will is explained.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno vihesaṁ manasikaroto vihesāya cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.

Take another case where a mendicant focuses on harming, but their mind does not leap forth …

Avihesaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto avihesāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.

But when they focus on compassion, their mind leaps forth …

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ vihesāya;

Their mind is in a good state … well detached from harming.

ye ca vihesāpaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati.

They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of harming, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.

Idamakkhātaṁ vihesāya nissaraṇaṁ.

This is how the escape from harming is explained.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rūpaṁ manasikaroto rūpe cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.

Take another case where a mendicant focuses on form, but their mind does not leap forth …

Arūpaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto arūpe cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.

But when they focus on the formless, their mind leaps forth …

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ rūpehi;

Their mind is in a good state … well detached from forms.

ye ca rūpapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati.

They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of form, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.

Idamakkhātaṁ rūpānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

This is how the escape from forms is explained.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sakkāyaṁ manasikaroto sakkāye cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.

Take a case where a mendicant focuses on substantial reality, but their mind does not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided.

Sakkāyanirodhaṁ kho panassa manasikaroto sakkāyanirodhe cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.

But when they focus on the cessation of substantial reality, their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided.

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ sugataṁ subhāvitaṁ suvuṭṭhitaṁ suvimuttaṁ suvisaṁyuttaṁ sakkāyena;

Their mind is in a good state, well developed, well risen, well freed, and well detached from substantial reality.

ye ca sakkāyapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṁ vedanaṁ vediyati.

They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of substantial reality, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.

Idamakkhātaṁ sakkāyassa nissaraṇaṁ.

This is how the escape from substantial reality is explained.

Tassa kāmanandīpi nānuseti, byāpādanandīpi nānuseti, vihesānandīpi nānuseti, rūpanandīpi nānuseti, sakkāyanandīpi nānuseti so kāmanandiyāpi ananusayā, byāpādanandiyāpi ananusayā, vihesānandiyāpi ananusayā, rūpanandiyāpi ananusayā, sakkāyanandiyāpi ananusayā.

Delight in sensual pleasures, ill will, harming, form, and substantial reality don’t linger within them.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu niranusayo, acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassa.

That’s why they’re called a mendicant who is without underlying tendencies, who has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, pañca nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo”ti.

These are the five elements of escape.”

Dasamaṁ.

Brāhmaṇavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Soṇo doṇo saṅgāravo,

Kāraṇapālī ca piṅgiyānī;

Supinā ca vassā vācā,

Kulaṁ nissāraṇīyena cāti.

Catuttho paṇṇāsako samatto.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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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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Formless

Formless

A meditative domain that transcends all perception of material form, progressing through the bases of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These states represent refined levels of collectedness beyond attachment to physical phenomena.

Also known as: immaterial, surpassing forms
Pāli: arūpa
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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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