AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.88 Fetters

Numbered Discourses 4.88 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.88

9. Confirmed – 9. Macalavagga

AN 4.88 Fetters – Saṁyojanasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, these four people are found in the world.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What four?

Katame cattāro?

1.3

The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

Samaṇamacalo, samaṇapuṇḍarīko, samaṇapadumo, samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo.

2.1

And how is a person a confirmed ascetic?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti?

2.2

It’s when a bhikkhu—with the ending of three fetters—is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo.

2.3

That’s how a person is a confirmed ascetic.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇamacalo hoti.

3.1

And how is a person a white lotus ascetic?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti?

3.2

It’s when a bhikkhu—with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion—is a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā, rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

3.3

That’s how a person is a white lotus ascetic.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapuṇḍarīko hoti.

4.1

And how is a person a pink lotus ascetic?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti?

4.2

It’s when a bhikkhu—with the ending of the five lower fetters—is reborn spontaneously. They’re extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

4.3

That’s how a person is a pink lotus ascetic.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇapadumo hoti.

5.1

And how is a person an exquisite ascetic of ascetics?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti?

5.2

It’s when a bhikkhu realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññ� sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

5.3

That’s how a person is an exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti.

5.4

These are the four people found in the world.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

5.5

Aṭṭhamaṁ.