The Buddha teaches the five faculties and declares that a noble disciple who truly understands their gratification, drawback, and escape is a stream-enterer, assured and destined for awakening.

SN 48.27 A Perfected One

“Chayimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni cha? Cakkhundriyaṁ, sotindriyaṁ, ghānindriyaṁ, jivhindriyaṁ, kāyindriyaṁ, manindriyaṁ. Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imesaṁ channaṁ indriyānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto hoti

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto’”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Chayimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni.

“Mendicants, there are these six faculties.

Katamāni cha?

What six?

Cakkhundriyaṁ, sotindriyaṁ, ghānindriyaṁ, jivhindriyaṁ, kāyindriyaṁ, manindriyaṁ.

The faculties of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imesaṁ channaṁ indriyānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto hoti

A mendicant comes to be freed by not grasping after truly understanding these six faculties’ origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto’”ti.

Such a mendicant is called a perfected one, with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026