The Buddha describes the Arahant, stating that a disciple achieves liberation through not clinging by discerning as they truly are the gratification, drawback, and escape in regard to the five faculties.

SN 48.4  Paṭhama arahanta sutta - Arahant (First)

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

“|Bhikkhus,::::| there are these five faculties. What five? The |faculty of faith::mental faculty of confidence, conviction, trust [saddhindriya]|, the |faculty of energy::mental faculty of willpower, determination [vīriya]|, the |faculty of mindfulness::mental faculty of awareness, presence [satindriya]|, the |faculty of collectedness::mental faculty of stability of mind, mental composure [samādhindriya]|, and the |faculty of wisdom::mental faculty of discernment [paññindriya]|.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto hoti ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto”ti.

When|, bhikkhus,::::| having discerned |as they truly are::as they have come to be, in reality [yathābhūta]| the |gratification::satisfaction, pleasure, enjoyment, sweetness [assāda]|, the |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]|, and the |escape::way out, remedy [nissaraṇa]| in regard to these five faculties, a disciple of the Noble Ones is liberated through |not clinging::not grasping, not holding (onto), detaching (from), not taking possession (of); lit. not taking near [anupāda]|, then he is called a bhikkhu who is an Arahant, |whose taints have worn away::who is awakened through the complete exhaustion of the taints of sensuality, becoming, and ignorance; an epithet for an Arahant [khīṇāsava]|, who has fulfilled his training, who has done what needed to be done, who has put down the burden, who has achieved the highest goal, |who has exhausted the fetter of existence::who has worn away the bonds of continued conditional existence, i.e. the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [parikkhīṇabhavasaṃyojana]|, and |who is freed through complete comprehension::one who is liberated by perfect understanding, epithet of an Arahant [sammadaññāvimutta]|.”

Topics & Qualities:

Arahant

Arahant

One who has attained full awakening, whose mental defilements are completely eradicated. The arahant is liberated through wisdom and is incapable of falling back into suffering.

Also known as: Accomplished One, Awakened One, Buddha
Pāli: arahant, khīṇāsava
View all discourses →
Discernment

Discernment

Clear seeing that distinguishes what is wholesome from unwholesome, true from false.

Also known as: ability to make out distinctions, ability to discriminate, distinguish, clear seeing, penetrating internal vision
Pāli: viveka, nipaka, niccheyya
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
View all discourses →
Perceiving drawback

Perceiving drawback

The contemplative perception that discerns the danger, inadequacy, and unsatisfactoriness of conditioned pleasures, leading the mind to turn away from clinging.

Also known as: observing the disadvantage, contemplating the unsatisfactoriness
Pāli: ādīnavānupassī
View all discourses →
Perceiving escape

Perceiving escape

The contemplative perception that recognizes the way out of bondage after understanding gratification and danger, seeing cessation of an unsatisfactory experience as its true escape.

Also known as: observing the release, seeing the way out, contemplating the remedy, recognizing the way leading beyond suffering
Pāli: nissaraṇānupassī, nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti
View all discourses →
Perceiving gratification

Perceiving gratification

The contemplative perception that focuses on the attractive or pleasurable aspect of experience, fueling delight and attachment to sense pleasures.

Also known as: following pleasure, seeing enjoyment, sign of beautiful
Pāli: assādānupassī
View all discourses →

Last updated on June 5, 2026