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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

States of Existence

AN 6.105 · Bhavasutta

A slender woodland snake rests among fallen leaves and roots.

“Mendicants, you should give up these three states of existence. And you should train in three trainings. What are the three states of existence you should give up? Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm. These are the three states of existence you should give up. What are the three trainings you should train in? The training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom. These are the three trainings you should train in. When a mendicant has given up these three states of existence and has trained in these three trainings they’re called a mendicant who has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.”

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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.