The Buddha describes the seven individuals—first, take an individual who meditates observing impermanence in all conditions, they perceive impermanence and experience impermanence, constantly, continually, and without interruption, and they apply the mind and fathom with wisdom.

AN 7.16 Observing Impermanence

“Sattime, bhikkhave, puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Katame satta?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. So āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puggalo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. Tassa apubbaṁ acarimaṁ āsavapariyādānañca hoti jīvitapariyādānañca. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puggalo āhuneyyo …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo puggalo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sattime, bhikkhave, puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

“Mendicants, these seven individuals are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world.

Katame satta?

What seven?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

First, take an individual who meditates observing impermanence in all conditions. They perceive impermanence and experience impermanence. Constantly, continually, and without interruption, they apply the mind and fathom with wisdom.

So āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puggalo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

This is the first individual.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

Next, take an individual who meditates observing impermanence in all conditions.

Tassa apubbaṁ acarimaṁ āsavapariyādānañca hoti jīvitapariyādānañca.

Their defilements and their life come to an end at exactly the same time.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puggalo āhuneyyo …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

This is the second individual.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharati, aniccasaññī, aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

Next, take an individual who meditates observing impermanence in all conditions.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next. …

upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing. …

asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort. …

sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti …pe…

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort. …

uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo puggalo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

This is the seventh individual.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

These are the seven individuals who are worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and are the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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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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Merit

Merit

Wholesome result of good conduct, generosity, and right intention. Merit brightens the mind and supports happiness and favorable conditions for practice.

Also known as: good deeds, spiritual wealth
Pāli: puñña, kalyāṇa
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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