Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.163 17.

Paṭipadāvagga, Asubhasutta

Paṭipadāvagga Asubhasutta “Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.

Disciples, there are these four paths of practice.

Katamā catasso?

What are the four?

Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

The painful path with slow realization, the painful path with quick realization, the pleasant path with slow realization, and the pleasant path with quick realization.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?

And what is the painful path with slow realization?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī; maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Here, a disciple dwells contemplating the unattractive nature of the body, perceives repulsiveness in food, perceives non-delight in the entire world, and contemplates impermanence in all formations. The perception of death is well established within him.

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati— saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti— saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

He dwells relying on these five strengths of a trainee: the strength of faith, the strength of conscience, the strength of fear of wrongdoing, the strength of energy, and the strength of wisdom. For him, these five faculties: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom: are weakly manifested.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

Due to the weakness of these five faculties, he slowly attains the immediate destruction of the taints.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.

This is called the painful path with slow realization.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?

And what is the painful path with quick realization?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī; maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati— saddhābalaṁ …pe… paññābalaṁ.

Here, a disciple dwells contemplating the unattractive nature of the body, perceives repulsiveness in food, perceives non-delight in the entire world, and contemplates impermanence in all formations. The perception of death is well established within him. He dwells relying on these five strengths of a trainee: the strength of faith, the strength of conscience, the strength of fear of wrongdoing, the strength of energy, and the strength of wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti— saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ.

For him, these five faculties: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom: are strongly manifested.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

Due to the strength of these five faculties, he quickly attains the immediate destruction of the taints.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

This is called the painful path with quick realization.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?

And what is the pleasant path with slow realization?

Idha bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, a disciple, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained attention, with energetic joy and pleasure born of seclusion. With the subsiding of applied and sustained attention, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied and sustained attention, and has energetic joy and pleasure born of concentration. With the fading away of energetic joy, he dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and experiences pleasure with the body. He enters and dwells in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: Equanimous and mindful, he dwells in pleasure.

With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity.

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati— saddhābalaṁ …pe… paññābalaṁ. Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti— saddhindriyaṁ …pe…

He dwells relying on these five strengths of a trainee: the strength of faith, the strength of conscience, the strength of fear of wrongdoing, the strength of energy, and the strength of wisdom.

In him, these five faculties are weak: the faculty of faith, ... up to ...

paññindriyaṁ.

the faculty of wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

Due to the weakness of these five faculties, he attains a slow realization leading to the destruction of the taints.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.

This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?

And what is the pleasant practice with quick insight?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…

Here a disciple, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained attention, with energetic joy and pleasure born of seclusion ...

dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe…

up to ...

tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe…

the second jhāna ...

catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

up to ... the third jhāna ... up to ... the fourth jhāna.

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati— saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

He dwells relying on these five strengths of a trainee: the strength of faith, the strength of conscience, the strength of fear of wrongdoing, the strength of energy, and the strength of wisdom.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti— saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

In him, these five faculties become predominant: the faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, and the faculty of wisdom.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

Due to the predominance of these five faculties, he quickly attains realization leading to the destruction of the taints.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

This is called the pleasant practice with quick insight.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā”ti. Tatiyaṁ.

These are the four types of practice.