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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Achievement

AN 6.79 · Adhigamasutta

Water flowing gently around weathered stones and moss in a mountain stream.

“Mendicants, a mendicant who has six qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What six? It’s when a mendicant is not skilled in progress, skilled in regress, or skilled in means. They don’t generate enthusiasm to achieve skillful qualities not yet achieved. They don’t protect skillful qualities they have achieved. And they don’t try to persist in the task. A mendicant who possesses these six qualities is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

A mendicant who has six qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What six? It’s when a mendicant is skilled in progress, skilled in regress, and skilled in means. They generate enthusiasm to achieve skillful qualities not yet achieved. They protect skillful qualities they have achieved. And they try to persist in the task. A mendicant who possesses these six qualities is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.”

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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.