The Buddha describes the eight individuals—first, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things, they try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them, but material things don’t come to them, and and so they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion because they don’t get those material things, and this is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. they try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. but when they do not acquire material things, they sorrow and lament. they’ve fallen from the true teaching, and next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things, and they try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them, and and material things do come to them.

AN 8.77 Desires

Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi: “āvuso bhikkhavo”ti.

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:

“Aṭṭhime, āvuso, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame aṭṭha?

Idhāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya lābho nuppajjati. So tena alābhena socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, socī ca paridevī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa uṭṭhahato ghaṭato vāyamato lābhāya lābho uppajjati. So tena lābhena majjati pamajjati pamādamāpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati ghaṭati vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, madī ca pamādī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya lābho nuppajjati. So tena alābhena socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, socī ca paridevī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya lābho uppajjati. So tena lābhena majjati pamajjati pamādamāpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati na ghaṭati na vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, madī ca pamādī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya, lābho nuppajjati. So tena alābhena na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati ghaṭati vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, na ca socī na ca paridevī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya, lābho uppajjati. So tena lābhena na majjati na pamajjati na pamādamāpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, na ca madī na ca pamādī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya, lābho nuppajjati. So tena alābhena na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, na ca socī na ca paridevī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya. So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya. Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya, lābho uppajjati. So tena lābhena na majjati na pamajjati na pamādamāpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, na ca madī na ca pamādī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

Ime kho, āvuso, aṭṭha puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:

There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:

“āvuso bhikkhavo”ti.

“Reverends, mendicants!”

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ.

“Reverend,” they replied.

Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:

Sāriputta said this:

“Aṭṭhime, āvuso, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Reverends, these eight individuals are found in the world.

Katame aṭṭha?

What eight?

Idhāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

First, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya.

They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya lābho nuppajjati.

But material things don’t come to them.

So tena alābhena socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.

And so they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion because they don’t get those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, socī ca paridevī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. But when they do not acquire material things, they sorrow and lament. They’ve fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya.

They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa uṭṭhahato ghaṭato vāyamato lābhāya lābho uppajjati.

And material things do come to them.

So tena lābhena majjati pamajjati pamādamāpajjati.

And so they become indulgent and fall into negligence regarding those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati ghaṭati vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, madī ca pamādī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. And when they acquire material things, they become intoxicated and negligent. They’ve fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya.

They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya lābho nuppajjati.

And material things don’t come to them.

So tena alābhena socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.

And so they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion because they don’t get those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, socī ca paridevī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. But when they do not acquire material things, they sorrow and lament. They’ve fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya.

They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya lābho uppajjati.

But material things do come to them.

So tena lābhena majjati pamajjati pamādamāpajjati.

And so they become indulgent and fall into negligence regarding those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati na ghaṭati na vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, madī ca pamādī ca, cuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. But when they acquire material things, they become intoxicated and negligent. They’ve fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya.

They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya, lābho nuppajjati.

But material things don’t come to them.

So tena alābhena na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.

But they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion because they don’t get those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati ghaṭati vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, na ca socī na ca paridevī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. But when they do not acquire material things, they don’t sorrow and lament. They haven’t fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya.

They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa uṭṭhahato, ghaṭato, vāyamato lābhāya, lābho uppajjati.

And material things do come to them.

So tena lābhena na majjati na pamajjati na pamādamāpajjati.

But they don’t become indulgent and fall into negligence regarding those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, uṭṭhahati, ghaṭati, vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, na ca madī na ca pamādī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. But when they acquire material things, they don’t become intoxicated and negligent. They haven’t fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya.

They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya, lābho nuppajjati.

And material things don’t come to them.

So tena alābhena na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.

But they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion because they don’t get those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, na ca lābhī, na ca socī na ca paridevī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. And when they do not acquire material things, they don’t sorrow and lament. They haven’t fallen from the true teaching.

Idha panāvuso, bhikkhuno pavivittassa viharato nirāyattavuttino icchā uppajjati lābhāya.

Next, when a mendicant stays secluded, living independently, a desire arises for material things.

So na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya.

They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them.

Tassa anuṭṭhahato, aghaṭato, avāyamato lābhāya, lābho uppajjati.

But material things do come to them.

So tena lābhena na majjati na pamajjati na pamādamāpajjati.

But they don’t become indulgent and fall into negligence regarding those material things.

Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, ‘bhikkhu iccho viharati lābhāya, na uṭṭhahati, na ghaṭati, na vāyamati lābhāya, lābhī ca, na ca madī na ca pamādī, accuto ca saddhammā’.

This is called a mendicant who lives desiring material things. They don’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get them. And when they acquire material things, they don’t become intoxicated and negligent. They haven’t fallen from the true teaching.

Ime kho, āvuso, aṭṭha puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These eight individuals are found in the world.”

Sattamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

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
View all discourses →
Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
View all discourses →
Negligence

Negligence

Dwelling with unrestrained faculties, soiled by sensory attraction. Negligence is the failure to guard the mind and to arouse heedfulness, blocking the arising of wholesome states.

Also known as: carelessness, heedlessness, inattentiveness
Pāli: pamāda
View all discourses →
Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
View all discourses →
Sorrow

Sorrow

Grief or sadness that follows loss or disappointment, dimming the mind’s natural brightness. It clouds clear perception.

Also known as: grief, sadness
Pāli: soka, socati
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026