The Buddha analyzes the five spiritual faculties—defining faith as conviction in the Buddha's awakening, energy as the four right efforts, mindfulness as the four establishments of mindfulness, immersion as the four absorptions, and wisdom as discerning the four noble truths.

SN 48.45 At the Eastern Monastery (1st)

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “katinaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“ekassa kho, bhikkhave, indriyassa bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmīti. Katamassa ekassa paññindriyassa paññavato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tadanvayā saddhā saṇṭhāti, tadanvayaṁ vīriyaṁ saṇṭhāti, tadanvayā sati saṇṭhāti, tadanvayo samādhi saṇṭhāti. Imassa kho, bhikkhave, ekassa indriyassa bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“katinaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti:

“Mendicants, how many faculties must a mendicant develop and cultivate so that they can declare enlightenment:

‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī”ti?

‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place”’?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“ekassa kho, bhikkhave, indriyassa bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti:

“A mendicant must develop and cultivate one faculty so that they can declare enlightenment.

‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmīti.

Katamassa ekassa paññindriyassa paññavato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tadanvayā saddhā saṇṭhāti, tadanvayaṁ vīriyaṁ saṇṭhāti, tadanvayā sati saṇṭhāti, tadanvayo samādhi saṇṭhāti.

What one? The faculty of wisdom. When a noble disciple has wisdom, the faith, energy, mindfulness, and immersion that follow along with that become stabilized.

Imassa kho, bhikkhave, ekassa indriyassa bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti:

This is the one faculty that a mendicant must develop and cultivate so that they can declare enlightenment:

‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī”ti.

‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Collectedness

Collectedness

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated.

Also known as: mental composure, stability of mind, stillness of mind, concentration, undistracted awareness
Pāli: samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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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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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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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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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