Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
II: Bala Vagga

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
V. The Book of the Fives
II. Powers

Sutta 12

Tathāgata Bala Suttaɱ

Peak (1)

Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

© 2012 Bhikkhu Bodhi
Published by
Wisdom Publications
Boston, MA 02115

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
Based on a work at http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/numerical-discourses-buddha
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.wisdompubs.org/terms-use.

 

---

[10] [636]

[1][pts] "Bhikkhus, there are these five trainee's powers.

What five?

The power of faith,
the power of moral shame,
the power of moral dread,
the power of energy,
and the power of wisdom.

These are the five trainee's powers.

Among these five trainee's powers, the power of wisdom is foremost, the one that holds all the others in place, the one that unifies them.

Just as the peak is the chief part of a peaked-roof house, the part that holds all the others in place, that unifies them, so among these five trainee powers, the power of wisdom is foremost, the one that holds all the others in place, the one that unifies them.

"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus:

(1) 'We will possess the power of faith, a trainee's power;

(2) the power of moral shame, a trainee's power;

(3) the power of moral dread, a trainee's power;

(4) the power of energy, a trainee's power;

(5) the power of wisdom, a trainee's power.'

Thus, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves."