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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Talk

AN 5.97 · Kathāsutta

Dandelion seeds catching soft light above a meadow.

“Mendicants, a mendicant developing mindfulness of breathing who has five things will soon penetrate the unshakable. What five?

It’s when a mendicant has few concerns and duties, and is unburdensome and contented with life’s necessities.

They eat little, not devoted to filling their stomach.

They are rarely drowsy, and are dedicated to wakefulness.

They get to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, keeping your distance, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom.

They review the extent of their mind’s freedom.

A mendicant developing mindfulness of breathing who has these five things will soon penetrate the unshakable.”

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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.

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