The Buddha teaches on the five spiritual faculties regarding in the land of the mallas, guiding mendicants in developing faith through wisdom on the path to liberation.

SN 48.52 In the Land of the Mallas

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati uruvelakappaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ na ussitaṁ hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ ussitaṁ hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ …pe… avaṭṭhiti hoti.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Saddhindriyassa, vīriyindriyassa, satindriyassa, samādhindriyassa. Paññavato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tadanvayā saddhā saṇṭhāti, tadanvayaṁ vīriyaṁ saṇṭhāti, tadanvayā sati saṇṭhāti, tadanvayo samādhi saṇṭhātī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati uruvelakappaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Mallas, near the Mallian town named Uruvelakappa.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

“Mendicants, as long as noble knowledge hasn’t arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties are not stable and fixed.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

But when noble knowledge has arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties become stable and fixed.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ na ussitaṁ hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

It’s just like in a bungalow. As long as the roof peak is not lifted into place, the rafters are not stable or fixed.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ ussitaṁ hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

But when the roof peak is lifted into place, the rafters become stable and fixed.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

In the same way, as long as noble knowledge hasn’t arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties are not stable and fixed.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ …pe… avaṭṭhiti hoti.

But when noble knowledge has arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties become stable and fixed.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What four?

Saddhindriyassa, vīriyindriyassa, satindriyassa, samādhindriyassa.

The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, and immersion.

Paññavato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tadanvayā saddhā saṇṭhāti, tadanvayaṁ vīriyaṁ saṇṭhāti, tadanvayā sati saṇṭhāti, tadanvayo samādhi saṇṭhātī”ti.

When a noble disciple has wisdom, the faith, energy, mindfulness, and immersion that follow along with that become stabilized.”

Dutiyaṁ.

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