The Buddha teaches on sleep, presenting a sixfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 6.17 Sleep

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Āyasmāpi kho sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Āyasmāpi kho mahāmoggallānoāyasmāpi kho mahākassapoāyasmāpi kho mahākaccānoāyasmāpi kho mahākoṭṭhikoāyasmāpi kho mahācundoāyasmāpi kho mahākappinoāyasmāpi kho anuruddhoāyasmāpi kho revatoāyasmāpi kho ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Atha kho bhagavā bahudeva rattiṁ nisajjāya vītināmetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi. Tepi kho āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu.

Ye pana tattha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ te yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supiṁsu. Addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena te bhikkhū yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamāne supante. Disvā yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Kahaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sāriputto? Kahaṁ mahāmoggallāno? Kahaṁ mahākassapo? Kahaṁ mahākaccāno? Kahaṁ mahākoṭṭhiko? Kahaṁ mahācundo? Kahaṁ mahākappino? Kahaṁ anuruddho? Kahaṁ revato? Kahaṁ ānando? Kahaṁ nu kho te, bhikkhave, therā sāvakā gatā”ti?

“Tepi kho, bhante, āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsū”ti.

“Tena no tumhe, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū nāgatāti yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supatha?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā: ‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa piyo manāpo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Sādhu, bhikkhave. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa piyo manāpo’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā: ‘raṭṭhiko …pe… pettaṇikosenāpatikogāmagāmaṇikopūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ kārento pūgassa piyo manāpo’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Sādhu, bhikkhave. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘pūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ kārento pūgassa piyo manāpo’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā: ‘samaṇo brāhmaṇo yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto avipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyutto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanto’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Sādhu, bhikkhave. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘samaṇo brāhmaṇo yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto avipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyutto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanto’ti.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttā, vipassakā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ, bhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, and sat down on the seat spread out.

Āyasmāpi kho sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Venerable Sāriputta also came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.

Āyasmāpi kho mahāmoggallāno

Venerables Mahāmoggallāna,

āyasmāpi kho mahākassapo

Mahākassapa,

āyasmāpi kho mahākaccāno

Mahākaccāna,

āyasmāpi kho mahākoṭṭhiko

Mahākoṭṭhita,

āyasmāpi kho mahācundo

Mahācunda,

āyasmāpi kho mahākappino

Mahākappina,

āyasmāpi kho anuruddho

Anuruddha,

āyasmāpi kho revato

Revata,

āyasmāpi kho ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

and Ānanda did the same.

Atha kho bhagavā bahudeva rattiṁ nisajjāya vītināmetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

The Buddha spent much of the night sitting in meditation, then rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Tepi kho āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu.

And soon after the Buddha left those venerables each went to their own dwelling.

Ye pana tattha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ te yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supiṁsu.

But those mendicants who were junior, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training slept until the sun came up, snoring.

Addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena te bhikkhū yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamāne supante.

The Buddha saw them doing this, with his clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman.

Disvā yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

He went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“Kahaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sāriputto?

“Mendicants, where is Sāriputta?

Kahaṁ mahāmoggallāno?

Where are Mahāmoggallāna,

Kahaṁ mahākassapo?

Mahākassapa,

Kahaṁ mahākaccāno?

Mahākaccāna,

Kahaṁ mahākoṭṭhiko?

Mahākoṭṭhita,

Kahaṁ mahācundo?

Mahācunda,

Kahaṁ mahākappino?

Mahākappina,

Kahaṁ anuruddho?

Anuruddha,

Kahaṁ revato?

Revata,

Kahaṁ ānando?

and Ānanda?

Kahaṁ nu kho te, bhikkhave, therā sāvakā gatā”ti?

Where have these senior disciples gone?”

“Tepi kho, bhante, āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsū”ti.

“Soon after the Buddha left those venerables each went to their own dwelling.”

“Tena no tumhe, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū nāgatāti yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supatha?

“So, mendicants, when the senior mendicants left, why did you sleep until the sun came up, snoring?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā:

Have you ever seen or heard

‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa piyo manāpo’”ti?

of an anointed aristocratic king who rules his whole life, dear and beloved to the country, while indulging in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as he likes?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

“Good, mendicants!

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa piyo manāpo’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā:

Have you ever seen or heard

‘raṭṭhiko …pe…

of an appointed official …

pettaṇiko

a hereditary official …

senāpatiko

a general …

gāmagāmaṇiko

a village chief …

pūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ kārento pūgassa piyo manāpo’”ti?

or a guild head who runs the guild his whole life, dear and beloved to the guild, while indulging in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as he likes?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

“Good, mendicants!

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

‘pūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ kārento pūgassa piyo manāpo’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ vā:

Have you ever seen or heard

‘samaṇo brāhmaṇo yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto avipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyutto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanto’”ti?

of an ascetic or brahmin who indulges in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as they like? Their sense doors are unguarded, they eat too much, they’re not dedicated to wakefulness, they’re unable to discern skillful qualities, and they don’t pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Yet 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.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

“Good, mendicants!

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

‘samaṇo brāhmaṇo yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto avipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyutto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanto’ti.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttā, vipassakā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ, bhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharissāmā’ti.

‘We will guard our sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities on the side of awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Sattamaṁ.

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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Dearness

Dearness

A mental quality of holding something or someone as 'dear' through attachment, which binds the mind with craving and possessiveness. It is the external fixation upon what the mind clings to, often giving rise to envy, quarrels, and sorrow.

Also known as: beloved, cherished, pleasing
Pāli: piya
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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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Wakefulness

Wakefulness

A bright alertness of mind that remains clear and attentive, unclouded by dullness or drowsiness. It guards the senses and supports continuous mindfulness.

Also known as: lucidity, alertness, vigilance, watchfulness
Pāli: jāgariyā
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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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Wrong speech

Wrong speech

Speech that deceives, divides, wounds, or wastes. It includes lying, slander, harshness, and idle chatter. Such speech distorts truth, breaks trust, and stirs the mind toward harm and discord.

Also known as: false speech, lying, divisive, slanderous or defamatory or malicious speech, abusive or rude or unkind way of speaking, meaningless talk or idle chatter or gossip
Pāli: musāvāda, pisuṇavācā, pharusāvācā, samphappalāpa
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026