ສັມມັປປະທານ ໔

Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple recollects their many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. … And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. This is their first breaking out, like a chick from an eggshell.

Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, sees sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. … They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds. This is their second breaking out, like a chick from an eggshell.

Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. This is their third breaking out, like a chick from an eggshell.

A noble disciple’s conduct includes the following: being accomplished in ethics, guarding the sense doors, moderation in eating, being dedicated to wakefulness, having seven good qualities, and getting the four absorptions when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

A noble disciple’s knowledge includes the following: recollecting their past lives, clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, and realizing the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life due to the ending of defilements.

This noble disciple is said to be ‘accomplished in knowledge’, and also ‘accomplished in conduct’, and also ‘accomplished in knowledge and conduct’.

And Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra also spoke this verse:

‘The aristocrat is first among people

who take clan as the standard.

But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct

is first among gods and humans.’

And that verse was well sung by Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, not poorly sung; well spoken, not poorly spoken, beneficial, not harmful, and it was approved by the Buddha.”

Then the Buddha got up and said to Venerable Ānanda, “Good, good, Ānanda! It’s good that you spoke to the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu about the practicing trainee.”

This is what Venerable Ānanda said, and the teacher approved. Satisfied, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu were happy with what Venerable Ānanda said.

Sekhasutta MN 53 https://suttacentral.net/mn53

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato

The Power of Energy Is One of the Five Trainee’s Powers

At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these five trainee’s powers. What five? The power of faith, the power of moral shame, the power of moral dread, the power of energy, and the power of wisdom.