The Buddha teaches a repeated simile of great rivers slanting, sloping, and inclining to the east, showing how a mendicant who develops the five faculties likewise inclines to extinguishment, applied across each river in this grouped discourse.

SN 48.125-136 Another on Sloping East, Etc.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.

Dvādasamaṁ.

Gaṅgāpeyyālavaggo terasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Cha pācīnato ninnā,
cha ninnā ca samuddato;
Dvete cha dvādasa honti,
vaggo tena pavuccatīti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā;

“Mendicants, the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

In the same way, a mendicant developing and cultivating the five faculties slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?

How so?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ.

It’s when a mendicant develops the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which culminate in the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcindriyāni bhāvento pañcindriyāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.

That’s how a mendicant developing and cultivating the five faculties slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.”

Dvādasamaṁ.

Gaṅgāpeyyālavaggo terasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Cha pācīnato ninnā,

Six on slanting to the east,

cha ninnā ca samuddato;

and six on slanting to the ocean;

Dvete cha dvādasa honti,

these two sixes make twelve,

vaggo tena pavuccatīti.

and that’s how this chapter is recited.

Qualities:

Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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Delusion

Delusion

A fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt.

Also known as: illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view
Pāli: moha, micchāñāṇa
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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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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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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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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