11. The Four Ways of Practice

Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.
There are, monastics, these four ways of practice.

1. Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
1. Practice which is painful and slow in knowledge,

2. dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,
2. practice which is painful and quick in knowledge,

3. sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,
3. practice which is pleasant and slow in knowledge,

4. sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
4. practice which is pleasant and quick in knowledge.

1. Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?
1. And what, monastics, is the practice which is painful and slow in knowledge?

{1} Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti,
{1} Here, monastics, one person constitutionally has great passion,

abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of passion,

{2} pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti,
{2} he constitutionally has great hatred,

abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of hatred,

{3} pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti,
{3} he constitutionally has great delusion, These three (rāga, dosa, moha) are known as the three roots (mūla) of unwholesome thoughts; rāga here is a synonym of the more usual lobha.

abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of delusion.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti:
And for him these five faculties The five faculties are analysed in section 18. manifest feebly:

{1} Saddhindriyaṁ,
{1} The faith faculty,

{2} viriyindriyaṁ,
{2} the energy faculty,

{3} satindriyaṁ,
{3} the mindfulness faculty,

{4} samādhindriyaṁ,
{4} the concentration faculty,

{5} paññindriyaṁ.
{5} the wisdom faculty.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā
Thus these five faculties are feeble

dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
and he is slow in achieving the immediate result of the destruction of the pollutants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.
This, monastics, is called the practice which is painful and slow in knowledge.

2. Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?
2. And what, monastics, is the practice which is painful and quick in knowledge?

{1} Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi tibbarāgajātiko hoti,
{1} Here, monastics, one person constitutionally has great passion,

abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of passion,

{2} pakatiyāpi tibbadosajātiko hoti,
{2} he constitutionally has great hatred,

abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of hatred,

{3} pakatiyāpi tibbamohajātiko hoti,
{3} he constitutionally has great delusion,

abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
and constantly he experiences pain and sorrow which is born of delusion.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti:
And for him these five faculties manifest in excess:

{1} Saddhindriyaṁ,
{1} The faith faculty,

{2} viriyindriyaṁ,
{2} the energy faculty,

{3} satindriyaṁ,
{3} the mindfulness faculty,

{4} samādhindriyaṁ,
{4} the concentration faculty,

{5} paññindriyaṁ.
{5} the wisdom faculty.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā
Thus these five faculties are in high measure

khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
and he is quick in achieving the immediate result of the destruction of the pollutants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
This, monastics, is called the practice which is painful and quick in knowledge.

3. Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?
3. And what, monastics, is the practice which is pleasant and slow in knowledge?

{1} Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti,
{1} Here, monastics, one person constitutionally does not have great passion,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of passion,

{2} pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti,
{2} he constitutionally does not have great hatred,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of hatred,

{3} pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti,
{3} he constitutionally does not have great delusion,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of delusion.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti:
And for him these five faculties manifest feebly:

{1} Saddhindriyaṁ,
{1} The faith faculty,

{2} viriyindriyaṁ,
{2} the energy faculty,

{3} satindriyaṁ,
{3} the mindfulness faculty,

{4} samādhindriyaṁ,
{4} the concentration faculty,

{5} paññindriyaṁ.
{5} the wisdom faculty.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā
Thus these five faculties are feeble

dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
and he is slow in achieving the immediate result of the destruction of the pollutants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.
This, monastics, is called the practice which is pleasant and slow in knowledge.

4. Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?
4. And what, monastics, is the practice which is pleasant and quick in knowledge?

{1} Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyāpi na tibbarāgajātiko hoti,
{1} Here, monastics, one person constitutionally does not have great passion,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of passion,

{2} pakatiyāpi na tibbadosajātiko hoti,
{2} he constitutionally does not have great hatred,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti,
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of hatred,

{3} pakatiyāpi na tibbamohajātiko hoti,
{3} he constitutionally does not have great delusion,

nābhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
and he does not constantly experience pain and sorrow which is born of delusion.

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti:
And for him these five faculties manifest in excess:

{1} Saddhindriyaṁ,
{1} The faith faculty,

{2} viriyindriyaṁ,
{2} the energy faculty,

{3} satindriyaṁ,
{3} the mindfulness faculty,

{4} samādhindriyaṁ,
{4} the concentration faculty,

{5} paññindriyaṁ.
{5} the wisdom faculty.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā
Thus these five faculties are in high measure

khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.
and he is quick in achieving the immediate result of the destruction of the pollutants.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.
This, monastics, is called the practice which is pleasant and quick in knowledge.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā.
These, monastics, are the four ways of practice.