The Buddha teaches the seven awakening factors—mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity—and how they are developed and fulfilled on the path.

AN 7.71 Committed to Development

“Bhāvanaṁ ananuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Abhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa abhāvitattā? Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha dasa dvādasa vā. Tānassu kukkuṭiyā na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni. Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti, atha kho abhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ ananuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Abhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa abhāvitattā? Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

Bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa bhāvitattā? Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha dasa dvādasa vā. Tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni. Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti, atha kho bhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. Kissa bhāvitattā? Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ …pe… ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, phalagaṇḍassa phalagaṇḍantevāsikassa dissanteva vāsijaṭe aṅgulipadāni dissati aṅguṭṭhapadaṁ. No ca khvassa evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ me ajja vāsijaṭassa khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti, atha khvassa khīṇe ‘khīṇan’teva ñāṇaṁ hoti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ me ajja āsavānaṁ khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti, atha khvassa khīṇe ‘khīṇan’teva ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sāmuddikāya nāvāya vettabandhanabaddhāya cha māsāni udake pariyādāya hemantikena thale ukkhittāya vātātapaparetāni bandhanāni, tāni pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhāni appakasireneva parihāyanti, pūtikāni bhavanti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavantī”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Bhāvanaṁ ananuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

“Mendicants, when a mendicant is not committed to development, they might wish:

‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti,

‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’

atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

Even so, their mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Abhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

You should say: ‘It’s because they’re undeveloped.’

Kissa abhāvitattā?

Undeveloped in what?

Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha dasa dvādasa vā.

Suppose there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs.

Tānassu kukkuṭiyā na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni.

But she had not properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated.

Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

Even if that chicken might wish:

‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti,

‘If only my chicks could break out of the eggshell with their claws and beak and hatch safely!’

atha kho abhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ.

Still they can’t break out and hatch safely.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Tathā hi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni na sammā adhisayitāni, na sammā pariseditāni, na sammā paribhāvitāni.

Because she has not properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ ananuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

In the same way, when a mendicant is not committed to development, they might wish:

‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti,

‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’

atha khvassa neva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

Even so, their mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Abhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

You should say: ‘It’s because they’re undeveloped.’

Kissa abhāvitattā?

Undeveloped in what?

Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.

Bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

When a mendicant is committed to development, they might not wish:

‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti,

‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’

atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

Even so, their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

You should say: ‘It’s because they are developed.’

Kissa bhāvitattā?

Developed in what?

Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ sammappadhānānaṁ, catunnaṁ iddhipādānaṁ, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ, pañcannaṁ balānaṁ, sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha dasa dvādasa vā.

Suppose there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs.

Tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni.

And she properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated.

Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

Even if that chicken doesn’t wish:

‘aho vata me kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti,

‘If only my chicks could break out of the eggshell with their claws and beak and hatch safely!’

atha kho bhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya mukhatuṇḍakena aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ.

Still they can break out and hatch safely.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Tathā hi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni sammā adhisayitāni, sammā pariseditāni, sammā paribhāvitāni.

Because she properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:

In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development, they might not wish:

‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti,

‘If only my mind were freed from the defilements by not grasping!’

atha khvassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.

Even so, their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Bhāvitattā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

You should say: ‘It’s because they are developed.’

Kissa bhāvitattā?

Developed in what?

Catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ …pe… ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, phalagaṇḍassa phalagaṇḍantevāsikassa dissanteva vāsijaṭe aṅgulipadāni dissati aṅguṭṭhapadaṁ. No ca khvassa evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ me ajja vāsijaṭassa khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti, atha khvassa khīṇe ‘khīṇan’teva ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Suppose a carpenter or their apprentice sees the marks of his fingers and thumb on the handle of his adze. They don’t know how much of the handle was worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato kiñcāpi na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘ettakaṁ me ajja āsavānaṁ khīṇaṁ, ettakaṁ hiyyo, ettakaṁ pare’ti, atha khvassa khīṇe ‘khīṇan’teva ñāṇaṁ hoti.

In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development, they don’t know how much of the defilements were worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sāmuddikāya nāvāya vettabandhanabaddhāya cha māsāni udake pariyādāya hemantikena thale ukkhittāya vātātapaparetāni bandhanāni, tāni pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhāni appakasireneva parihāyanti, pūtikāni bhavanti.

Suppose there was a sea-faring ship bound together with ropes. For six months they deteriorated in the water. Then in the cold season it was hauled up on dry land, where the ropes were weathered by wind and sun. When the clouds soaked it with rain, the ropes would readily collapse and rot away.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhāvanaṁ anuyuttassa bhikkhuno viharato appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavantī”ti.

In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development their fetters readily collapse and rot away.”

Sattamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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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
View all discourses →
Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
View all discourses →
Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Psychic power

Psychic power

Supernormal capacities resulting from a practice of collectedness rooted in aspiration, determination, purification of mind, and investigation of phenomena.

Also known as: supernormal abilities, psychic ability, spiritual power
Pāli: iddhi, iddhimant
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026