The Buddha teaches the four factors of stream-entry—experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and ethical conduct loved by the noble ones—showing how they protect a noble disciple from loss and lead to heaven, regarding fears and enmities (1st).

SN 55.28 Fears and Enmities (1st)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni ca honti, catūhi ca sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ariyo cassa ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto; sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’.

Katamāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti? Yaṁ, gahapati, pāṇātipātī pāṇātipātappaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyati. Pāṇātipātā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti. Yaṁ, gahapati, adinnādāyī …pe… yaṁ, gahapati, kāmesumicchācārī …pe… yaṁ, gahapati, musāvādī …pe… yaṁ, gahapati, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhāyī surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānappaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyati. Surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti. Imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti.

Katamehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

Katamo cassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; iti imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati; yadidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. Ayamassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho.

Yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ayañcassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho. So ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto; sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Seated to one side, the Buddha said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika:

“yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni ca honti, catūhi ca sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ariyo cassa ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

“Householder, when a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, possesses the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and penetrated the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto; sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’.

‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’

Katamāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti?

What are the five fears and enmities they have quelled?

Yaṁ, gahapati, pāṇātipātī pāṇātipātappaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyati.

Anyone who kills living creatures brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness.

Pāṇātipātā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from killing living creatures.

Yaṁ, gahapati, adinnādāyī …pe…

Anyone who steals …

yaṁ, gahapati, kāmesumicchācārī …pe…

Anyone who commits sexual misconduct …

yaṁ, gahapati, musāvādī …pe…

Anyone who lies …

yaṁ, gahapati, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhāyī surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānappaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyati.

Anyone who consumes intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness.

Surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.

Imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti.

These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled.

Katamehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti?

What are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess?

Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti

It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …

itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

Dhamme …pe…

the teaching …

saṅghe …pe…

the Saṅgha …

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.

And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.

Imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

These are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess.

Katamo cassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho?

And what is the noble system that they have clearly seen and penetrated with wisdom?

Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti

A noble disciple rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself:

iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati;

‘When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises.

iti imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati;

When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases.’ That is:

yadidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe…

Ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho …pe…

When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease.

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

Ayamassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho.

This is the noble system that they have clearly seen and penetrated with wisdom.

Yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ayañcassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho. So ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

When a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, possesses the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and penetrated the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto; sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’”ti.

‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

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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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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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