Connected Discourses on the Powers

1“Bhikkhus, there are these five powers. What five? The power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power of wisdom. These are the five powers.

2“Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

3“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. He develops the power of energy … the power of mindfulness … the power of concentration … the power of wisdom, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.

4“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”

5(The remaining suttas of this vagga are to be similarly elaborated parallel to 45:92-102.) [250]

6Six about slanting to the east
And six about slanting to the ocean.
These two sixes make up twelve:
Thus the subchapter is recited.

(To be elaborated by way of the powers parallel to 45:139-48.)

1Tathāgata, footprint, roof peak,
Roots, heartwood, jasmine,
Monarch, the moon and sun,
Together with the cloth as tenth.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:149-60.)

1Strenuous, seeds, and nāgas,
The tree, the pot, the spike,
The sky, and two on clouds,
The ship, guest house, and river.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:161-70.)

1Searches, discriminations, taints,
Kinds of existence, threefold suffering,
Barrenness, stains, and troubles,
Feelings, craving, and thirst.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:171-79.)

54. Higher Fetters

1“Bhikkhus, there are these five higher fetters. What five? Lust for form, lust for the formless, conceit, restlessness, ignorance. These are the five higher fetters. The five powers are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.

2“What five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith … the power of wisdom, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.

3“These five powers are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”

4Floods, bonds, kinds of clinging,
Knots, and underlying tendencies,
Cords of sensual pleasure, hindrances,
Aggregates, fetters lower and higher.

1“Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, [252] so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

2“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith … the power of wisdom, which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.

3“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”

1“Bhikkhus, there are these five higher fetters. What five? Lust for form, lust for the formless, conceit, restlessness, ignorance. These are the five higher fetters. The five powers are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.

2“What five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith … the power of wisdom, which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.

3“These five powers are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”

4Floods, bonds, kinds of clinging,
Knots, and underlying tendencies,
Cords of sensual pleasure, hindrances,
Aggregates, fetters lower and higher.

(All to be elaborated by way of the five powers having as their final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.)

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