The Buddha teaches on fears and enmities (2nd), presenting an analysis of dependent origination and the causal links that give rise to suffering.

SN 12.42 Fears and Enmities (2nd)

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, catūhi ca sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ariyo cassa ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi …pe… avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’ti.

Katamāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti? Yaṁ, bhikkhave, pāṇātipātī …pe… yaṁ, bhikkhave, adinnādāyīyaṁ, bhikkhave, kāmesumicchācārīyaṁ, bhikkhave, musāvādīyaṁ, bhikkhave, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī …pe… imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti.

Katamehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe …pe… dhammesaṅgheariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti. Imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

Katamo cassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti …pe… ayamassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ayañcassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, catūhi ca sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ariyo cassa ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

“Mendicants, when a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, possesses the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and penetrated the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:

‘khīṇanirayomhi …pe… avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’ti.

‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’

Katamāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti?

What are the five fears and enmities they have quelled?

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, pāṇātipātī …pe…

Killing living creatures …

yaṁ, bhikkhave, adinnādāyī

stealing …

yaṁ, bhikkhave, kāmesumicchācārī

sexual misconduct …

yaṁ, bhikkhave, musāvādī

lying …

yaṁ, bhikkhave, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī …pe…

consuming intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor …

imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti.

These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled.

Katamehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti?

What are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe …pe…

It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …

dhamme

the teaching …

saṅghe

the Saṅgha …

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti.

and their ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones.

Imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

These are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess.

Katamo cassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho?

And what is the noble system that they have clearly seen and penetrated with wisdom?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti …pe…

A noble disciple carefully and rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself …

ayamassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho.

This is the noble system that they have clearly seen and penetrated with wisdom.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ayañcassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

When a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, possesses the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and penetrated the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’”ti.

‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

Dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Consuming intoxicants

Consuming intoxicants

The use of substances that cloud the mind and impair clear awareness, leading to a loss of self-control and moral recklessness. Such consumption undermines mindfulness and ethical conduct, paving the way for further unwholesome actions.

Also known as: drinking liquor and wine, drinking alcohol, taking intoxicating substances
Pāli: surāmerayapāna
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026