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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

The Chapter on Happiness

AN 2.64-76 · 7. Sukhavagga

A pine on a rocky ledge above mountain ridges and pale dawn mist.
Sections

64

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? The happiness of laypeople, and the happiness of renunciates. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is the happiness of renunciates.”

65

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Sensual happiness and the happiness of renunciation. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is the happiness of renunciation.”

66

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? The happiness of attachments, and the happiness of no attachments. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is the happiness of no attachments.”

67

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Defiled happiness and undefiled happiness. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is the happiness of no defilements.”

68

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness of the flesh and happiness not of the flesh. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness not of the flesh.”

69

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Noble happiness and ignoble happiness. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is noble happiness.”

70

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Physical happiness and mental happiness. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is mental happiness.”

71

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness with rapture and happiness free of rapture. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness free of rapture.”

72

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness with pleasure and happiness with equanimity. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness with equanimity.”

73

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? The happiness of immersion and the happiness without immersion. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is the happiness of immersion.”

74

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness that relies on rapture and happiness that relies on freedom from rapture. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness that relies on freedom from rapture.”

75

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness that relies on pleasure and happiness that relies on equanimity. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness that relies on equanimity.”

76

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of happiness. What two? Happiness that relies on form and happiness that relies on the formless. These are the two kinds of happiness. The better of these two kinds of happiness is happiness that relies on the formless.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader. This source combines a range of related numbered discourses.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.