The Buddha teaches on nothing to hide, presenting a sevenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 7.58 Nothing to Hide

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni, tīhi ca anupavajjo. Katamāni cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni?

Parisuddhakāyasamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato; natthi tathāgatassa kāyaduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya: ‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

Parisuddhavacīsamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato; natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya: ‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

Parisuddhamanosamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato; natthi tathāgatassa manoduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya: ‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

Parisuddhājīvo, bhikkhave, tathāgato; natthi tathāgatassa micchāājīvo yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya: ‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

Imāni cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni.

Katamehi tīhi anupavajjo?

Svākkhātadhammo, bhikkhave, tathāgato. Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati: ‘itipi tvaṁ na svākkhātadhammo’ti. Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Supaññattā kho pana me, bhikkhave, sāvakānaṁ nibbānagāminī paṭipadā. Yathāpaṭipannā mama sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti. Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati: ‘itipi te na supaññattā sāvakānaṁ nibbānagāminī paṭipadā. Yathāpaṭipannā tava sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī’ti. Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Anekasatā kho pana me, bhikkhave, sāvakaparisā āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti. Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati: ‘itipi te na anekasatā sāvakaparisā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī’ti. Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Imehi tīhi anupavajjo.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni, imehi ca tīhi anupavajjo”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni, tīhi ca anupavajjo.

“Mendicants, there are four areas where the Realized One has nothing to hide, and three ways he is irreproachable.

Katamāni cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni?

What are the four areas where the Realized One has nothing to hide?

Parisuddhakāyasamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato;

His bodily behavior is pure.

natthi tathāgatassa kāyaduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya:

So the Realized One has no bodily misconduct to hide, thinking:

‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

‘Don’t let others find this out about me!’

Parisuddhavacīsamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato;

His verbal behavior is pure.

natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya:

So the Realized One has no verbal misconduct to hide, thinking:

‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

‘Don’t let others find this out about me!’

Parisuddhamanosamācāro, bhikkhave, tathāgato;

His mental behavior is pure.

natthi tathāgatassa manoduccaritaṁ yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya:

So the Realized One has no mental misconduct to hide, thinking:

‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

‘Don’t let others find this out about me!’

Parisuddhājīvo, bhikkhave, tathāgato;

His livelihood is pure.

natthi tathāgatassa micchāājīvo yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya:

So the Realized One has no wrong livelihood to hide, thinking:

‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti.

‘Don’t let others find this out about me!’

Imāni cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni.

These are the four areas where the Realized One has nothing to hide.

Katamehi tīhi anupavajjo?

What are the three ways the Realized One is irreproachable?

Svākkhātadhammo, bhikkhave, tathāgato.

The Realized One has explained the teaching well.

Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati:

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying:

‘itipi tvaṁ na svākkhātadhammo’ti.

‘For such and such reasons you haven’t explained the teaching well.’

Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

Supaññattā kho pana me, bhikkhave, sāvakānaṁ nibbānagāminī paṭipadā.

I have clearly described the practice that leads to extinguishment for my disciples.

Yathāpaṭipannā mama sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

Practicing in accordance with this, my disciples 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.

Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati:

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying:

‘itipi te na supaññattā sāvakānaṁ nibbānagāminī paṭipadā. Yathāpaṭipannā tava sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī’ti.

‘For such and such reasons you haven’t clearly described the practice that leads to extinguishment for your disciples.’

Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

Anekasatā kho pana me, bhikkhave, sāvakaparisā āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

Many hundreds in my assembly of disciples have realized 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.

Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessati:

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying:

‘itipi te na anekasatā sāvakaparisā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī’ti.

‘For such and such reasons you don’t have many hundreds of disciples in your following who have realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and who live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

Nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

Imehi tīhi anupavajjo.

These are the three ways the Realized One is irreproachable.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri tathāgatassa arakkheyyāni, imehi ca tīhi anupavajjo”ti.

These are the four areas where the Realized One has nothing to hide, and the three ways he is irreproachable.”

Pañcamaṁ.

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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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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Wrong livelihood

Wrong livelihood

Sustaining oneself through deceit, exploitation, or manipulation for gain. It includes cheating, flattery, hinting for favors, belittling others, and pursuing gain by means of gain.

Also known as: unwholesome livelihood, wrong way of earning a living
Pāli: micchāājīva
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Last updated on July 27, 2026