Skip to reading
← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Textual Analysis (1st)

AN 7.38 · Paṭhamapaṭisambhidāsutta

Small white alpine flowers bloom in a sheltered crevice of green-gray rock.

“Mendicants, a mendicant with seven qualities will soon realize the four kinds of textual analysis and live having achieved them with their own insight. What seven?

It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is mental sluggishness’.

They truly understand internally constricted mind as ‘internally constricted mind’.

They truly understand externally scattered mind as ‘externally scattered mind’.

They know feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

They know perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

They know thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

The patterns of qualities—suitable or unsuitable, inferior or superior, or those with a portion of dark or bright—are properly grasped, focused on, borne in mind, and penetrated with wisdom.

A mendicant with these seven qualities will soon realize the four kinds of textual analysis and live having achieved them with their own insight.”

Connections

Collection & context

Books

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.