The Buddha teaches on the five spiritual faculties regarding ascetics and brahmins (2nd), guiding mendicants in developing faith through wisdom on the path to liberation.

SN 48.30 Ascetics and Brahmins (2nd)

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā cakkhundriyaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti; sotindriyaṁ …pe… ghānindriyaṁ …pe… jivhindriyaṁ …pe… kāyindriyaṁ …pe… manindriyaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti. Na me te, bhikkhave …pe… sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā cakkhundriyaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyasamudayaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti, sotindriyaṁ …pe… ghānindriyaṁ …pe… jivhindriyaṁ …pe… kāyindriyaṁ …pe… manindriyaṁ pajānanti, manindriyasamudayaṁ pajānanti, manindriyanirodhaṁ pajānanti, manindriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti, te kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā, te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Chaḷindriyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Punabbhavo jīvitaññāya,
ekabījī ca suddhakaṁ;
Soto arahasambuddho,
dve ca samaṇabrāhmaṇāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā cakkhundriyaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti;

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand the eye faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

sotindriyaṁ …pe…

They don’t understand the ear faculty …

ghānindriyaṁ …pe…

nose faculty …

jivhindriyaṁ …pe…

tongue faculty …

kāyindriyaṁ …pe…

body faculty …

manindriyaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, manindriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti.

mind faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

Na me te, bhikkhave …pe… sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

I don’t deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and don’t live having realized it with their own insight.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā cakkhundriyaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyasamudayaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhaṁ pajānanti, cakkhundriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti,

There are ascetics and brahmins who do understand the eye faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

sotindriyaṁ …pe…

They understand the ear faculty …

ghānindriyaṁ …pe…

nose faculty …

jivhindriyaṁ …pe…

tongue faculty …

kāyindriyaṁ …pe…

body faculty …

manindriyaṁ pajānanti, manindriyasamudayaṁ pajānanti, manindriyanirodhaṁ pajānanti, manindriyanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti,

mind faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

te kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā, te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.

I deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”

Dasamaṁ.

Chaḷindriyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Punabbhavo jīvitaññāya,

ekabījī ca suddhakaṁ;

Soto arahasambuddho,

dve ca samaṇabrāhmaṇāti.

Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Last updated on July 27, 2026