Fetters

AN 4.131 · Saṁyojanasutta

Fresh silver-green shoots growing from an ancient olive tree.

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four?

One individual hasn’t given up the lower fetters, the fetters for getting reborn, or the fetters for getting a continued existence.
One individual has given up the lower fetters, but not the fetters for getting reborn, or the fetters for getting a continued existence.
One individual has given up the lower fetters and the fetters for getting reborn, but not the fetters for getting a continued existence.
One individual has given up the lower fetters, the fetters for getting reborn, and the fetters for getting a continued existence.

What individual hasn’t given up the lower fetters, the fetters for getting reborn, or the fetters for getting a continued existence? A once-returner. This is the individual who hasn’t given up the lower fetters, the fetters for getting reborn, or the fetters for getting a continued existence.

What individual has given up the lower fetters, but not the fetters for getting reborn, or the fetters for getting a continued existence? One heading upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

What individual has given up the lower fetters and the fetters for getting reborn, but not the fetters for getting a continued existence? One extinguished between one life and the next.

What individual has given up the lower fetters, the fetters for getting reborn, and the fetters for getting a continued existence? A perfected one.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”

Connections

Collection & context

Aṅguttara NikāyaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Aṅguttara NikāyaBhikkhu Bodhi; Bhikkhu Bodhi (translator) · Complete collection edition
Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology

About this edition

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.

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