The Buddha teaches Venerable Pu on with puṇṇiya, presenting a eightfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 8.82 With Puṇṇiya

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

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena appekadā tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti, appekadā na paṭibhātī”ti?

“Saddho ca, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu hoti, no cupasaṅkamitā; neva tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti. Yato ca kho, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca; evaṁ tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti. Saddho ca, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca, no ca payirupāsitā …pe… payirupāsitā ca, no ca paripucchitāparipucchitā ca, no ca ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇātiohitasoto ca dhammaṁ suṇāti, no ca sutvā dhammaṁ dhāretisutvā ca dhammaṁ dhāreti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhatidhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti. Neva tāva tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti.

Yato ca kho, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca, payirupāsitā ca, paripucchitā ca, ohitasoto ca dhammaṁ suṇāti, sutvā ca dhammaṁ dhāreti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati, atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti; evaṁ tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti. Imehi kho, puṇṇiya, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgatā ekantapaṭibhānā tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā hotī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

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

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

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena appekadā tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti, appekadā na paṭibhātī”ti?

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why sometimes the Realized One feels inspired to teach, and other times not?”

“Saddho ca, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu hoti, no cupasaṅkamitā;

“Puṇṇiya, when a mendicant has faith but doesn’t approach,

neva tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti.

the Realized One doesn’t feel inspired to teach.

Yato ca kho, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca;

But when a mendicant has faith and approaches,

evaṁ tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti.

the Realized One feels inspired to teach.

Saddho ca, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca, no ca payirupāsitā …pe…

When a mendicant has faith and approaches, but doesn’t pay homage …

payirupāsitā ca, no ca paripucchitā

they pay homage, but don’t ask questions …

paripucchitā ca, no ca ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti

they ask questions, but don’t actively listen to the teaching …

ohitasoto ca dhammaṁ suṇāti, no ca sutvā dhammaṁ dhāreti

they actively listen to the teaching, but don’t remember the teaching they’ve heard …

sutvā ca dhammaṁ dhāreti, no ca dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati

they remember the teaching they’ve heard, but don’t examine the meaning of the teachings they’ve remembered …

dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati, no ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti.

they examine the meaning of the teachings they’ve remembered, but, not having understood the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice in line with the principle of the teaching.

Neva tāva tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti.

The Realized One doesn’t feel inspired to teach.

Yato ca kho, puṇṇiya, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti, upasaṅkamitā ca, payirupāsitā ca, paripucchitā ca, ohitasoto ca dhammaṁ suṇāti, sutvā ca dhammaṁ dhāreti, dhātānañca dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati, atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno ca hoti;

But when a mendicant has faith, approaches, pays homage, asks questions, actively listens to the teachings, remembers the teachings, examines the meaning, and practices in line with the principle of the teaching,

evaṁ tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti.

the Realized One feels inspired to teach.

Imehi kho, puṇṇiya, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgatā ekantapaṭibhānā tathāgataṁ dhammadesanā hotī”ti.

When someone possesses these eight qualities, the Realized One feels totally inspired to teach.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

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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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