The Buddha teaches on with mahānāma, presenting a eightfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 8.25 With Mahānāma

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, upāsako hotī”ti?

“Yato kho, mahānāma, buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti; ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako hotī”ti.

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti?

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti; ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti.

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti?

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako attanāva saddhāsampanno hoti, no paraṁ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti; attanāva sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ sīlasampadāya samādapeti; attanāva cāgasampanno hoti, no paraṁ cāgasampadāya samādapeti; attanāva bhikkhūnaṁ dassanakāmo hoti, no paraṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dassane samādapeti; attanāva saddhammaṁ sotukāmo hoti, no paraṁ saddhammassavane samādapeti; attanāva sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, no paraṁ dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti; attanāva sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, no paraṁ atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti; attanāva atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, no paraṁ dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti.

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti?

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako attanā ca saddhāsampanno hoti, parañca saddhāsampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, parañca sīlasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca cāgasampanno hoti, parañca cāgasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca bhikkhūnaṁ dassanakāmo hoti, parañca bhikkhūnaṁ dassane samādapeti; attanā ca saddhammaṁ sotukāmo hoti, parañca saddhammassavane samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, parañca dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, parañca atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti, attanā ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, parañca dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, upāsako hotī”ti?

“Sir, how is a lay follower defined?”

“Yato kho, mahānāma, buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti;

“Mahānāma, when you’ve gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha,

ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako hotī”ti.

you’re considered to be a lay follower.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti?

“But how is an ethical lay follower defined?”

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti;

“When a lay follower doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor,

ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti.

they’re considered to be an ethical lay follower.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti?

“But how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others?”

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako attanāva saddhāsampanno hoti, no paraṁ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti;

“A lay follower is accomplished in faith, but doesn’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ sīlasampadāya samādapeti;

They’re accomplished in ethical conduct, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva cāgasampanno hoti, no paraṁ cāgasampadāya samādapeti;

They’re accomplished in generosity, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva bhikkhūnaṁ dassanakāmo hoti, no paraṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dassane samādapeti;

They like to see the mendicants, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva saddhammaṁ sotukāmo hoti, no paraṁ saddhammassavane samādapeti;

They like to hear the true teaching, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, no paraṁ dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti;

They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, no paraṁ atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti;

They examine the meaning of the teachings they’ve memorized, but don’t encourage others to do the same.

attanāva atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, no paraṁ dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti.

Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching, but they don’t encourage others to do the same.

Ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti.

That’s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti?

“But how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others?”

“Yato kho, mahānāma, upāsako attanā ca saddhāsampanno hoti, parañca saddhāsampadāya samādapeti;

“A lay follower is accomplished in faith and encourages others to do the same.

attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, parañca sīlasampadāya samādapeti;

They’re accomplished in ethical conduct and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca cāgasampanno hoti, parañca cāgasampadāya samādapeti;

They’re accomplished in generosity and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca bhikkhūnaṁ dassanakāmo hoti, parañca bhikkhūnaṁ dassane samādapeti;

They like to see the mendicants and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca saddhammaṁ sotukāmo hoti, parañca saddhammassavane samādapeti;

They like to hear the true teaching and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, parañca dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti;

They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, parañca atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti,

They examine the meaning of the teachings they’ve memorized and encourage others to do the same.

attanā ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, parañca dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti.

Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching and they encourage others to do the same.

Ettāvatā kho, mahānāma, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti.

That’s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Ethical conduct

Ethical conduct

A disciplined way of living grounded in harmlessness and integrity. Ethical conduct restrains the body and speech from harm, purifies behavior, and forms the foundation for collectedness and wisdom.

Also known as: moral integrity, right action, virtue
Pāli: sīla, sammākammanta
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct

Transgression of boundaries in intimate relations—acting on desire in ways that betray trust, cause harm, or violate the commitments of oneself or others.

Also known as: crossing boundaries, infidelity, inappropriate sexual behavior, unfaithfulness to one's partner
Pāli: kāmesumicchācāra
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Last updated on July 27, 2026