The Buddha teaches on extinguishment, presenting a sevenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 7.19 Extinguishment

“Nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. So āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ bhikkhave, paṭhamo puggalo āhuneyyo …pe… puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī 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 nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī 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 …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta puggalā āhuneyyā …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

“One meditates observing the happiness in extinguishment. They perceive happiness and experience happiness. 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 …pe… puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

This is the first individual worthy of offerings.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

Next, take an individual who meditates observing the happiness in extinguishment. They perceive happiness and experience happiness. Constantly, continually, and without interruption, they apply the mind and fathom with wisdom.

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 nibbāne sukhānupassī viharati sukhasaññī sukhapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno.

Next, take an individual who meditates observing the happiness in extinguishment. They perceive happiness and experience happiness. Constantly, continually, and without interruption, they apply the mind and fathom with wisdom.

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 …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

This is the seventh individual.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta puggalā āhuneyyā …pe… 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.”

Navamaṁ.

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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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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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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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