1"Bhikkhus, this spiritual life is lived with the training as its benefit, with wisdom as its supervisor, with liberation as its core, and with mindfulness as its authority. [n.955] Sikkhānisaṁsam idaṁ bhikkhave brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ. In later suttas that use these metaphors (AN8.83, AN9.14, AN10.58), mindfulness precedes wisdom and liberation, but the present sutta explains the reason for the inversion of the normal sequence.

(1) "And how, bhikkhus, is training its benefit? Here, the training pertaining to proper conduct [n.956] Ābhisamācārikā sikkhā. Mp: "This is a designation for the type of virtuous behavior that is prescribed by way of duties" (vattavasena paññattisīlass’etaṁ adhivacanaṁ). The commentaries draw a contrast between natural virtuous behavior (pakatisīla), modes of virtuous behavior with ethical significance, and prescription-based virtuous behavior (paññattisīla) derived from monastic rules prescribing conduct and deportment that are not intrinsically ethical, such as not eating after midday, not accepting money, not tickling another monk, etc. The latter are intended by ābhisamācārikā sikkhā. has been prescribed by me to my disciples so that those without confidence gain confidence and those with confidence increase in their confidence. One takes up this training pertaining to proper conduct in just the way that I have prescribed it to my disciples, keeping it unbroken, flawless, unblemished, and unblotched, so that those without confidence gain confidence and those with confidence increase in their confidence. Having undertaken them, one trains in the training rules.

2"Again, the training fundamental to the spiritual life [n.957] Mp: "This is a designation for the four major types of virtuous behavior, which are the foundation for the spiritual life of the path" (maggabrahmacariyassa ādibhūtānaṁ catunnaṁ mahāsīlānam etaṁ adhivacanaṁ). Though Mp seems to confine this type of virtue to the four pārājika offenses, it certainly includes many more training rules included among the other classes of offenses. has been prescribed by me to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering. One takes up this training fundamental to the spiritual life in just the way that I have prescribed it to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering, keeping it unbroken, flawless, unblemished, and unblotched. Having undertaken them, one trains in the training rules. It is in this way that the training is its benefit.

3(2) "And how is wisdom its supervisor? Here, the teachings have been taught by me to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering. One scrutinizes those teachings with wisdom in just the way that I have taught them to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering. It is in this way that wisdom is its supervisor. [n.958] Mp does not explain in what sense paññā is called uttarā, but says only: "They are well seen by the wisdom of the path along with insight" (sahavipassanāya maggapaññāya sudiṭṭhā honti).

4(3) "And how is liberation its core? Here, the teachings have been taught by me to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering. Through liberation one experiences those teachings in just the way that I have taught them to my disciples for the utterly complete destruction of suffering. It is in this way that liberation is its core. [n.959] Mp: "They are experienced by the experiential knowledge of the liberation of the fruit of arahantship" (arahattaphalavimuttiyā ñāṇaphassena phuṭṭhā honti).

5(4) "And how is mindfulness its authority? One's mindfulness is well established internally thus: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill the training pertaining to good conduct that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects the training pertaining to good conduct that I have fulfilled.’ [n.960] As in AN4.194. Mp says that insight wisdom (vipassanāpaññā) is intended here. And one's mindfulness is well established internally thus: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill the training pertaining to the fundamentals of the spiritual life that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects the training pertaining to the fundamentals of the spiritual life that I have fulfilled.’ And one's mindfulness is well established internally thus: ‘In just such a way I will scrutinize with wisdom the teachings that I have not yet scrutinized or assist with wisdom in various respects the teachings that I have scrutinized.’ And one's mindfulness is well established internally thus: ‘In just such a way I will experience through liberation the Dhamma that I have not yet experienced or assist with wisdom in various respects the Dhamma that I have experienced.’ It is in this way that mindfulness is its authority.

"Thus when it was said: ‘Bhikkhus, this spiritual life is lived with the training as its benefit, with wisdom as its supervisor, with liberation as its core, and with mindfulness as its authority,’ it is because of this that this was said."

1"Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā paññāya samavekkhitā honti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti.

4Kathañca, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā vimuttiyā phusitā honti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti.

5Kathañca, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti? ‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti – ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti – ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti asamavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ paññāya samavekkhissāmi, samavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti – ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. ‘Iti aphusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ vimuttiyā phusissāmi, phusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti – ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti. ‘Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyan’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.