Linked Discourses on the Five Powers

The Chapter of Abbreviated Texts on the Ganges

SN 50.1--12 Sloping East, Etc. Gaṅgāpeyyālavagga

"Mendicants, there are these five powers. What five? The powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. These are the five powers. The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.

And how does a mendicant who develops the five powers slant, slope, and incline to extinguishment? It's when a mendicant develops the powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. That's how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment."

Six on slanting to the east,
and six on slanting to the ocean;
these two sixes make twelve,
and that's how this chapter is recited.

The Chapter on Diligence

SN 50.13--22 Diligence Appamādavagga

(Tell in full as in the chapter on diligence at SN 45.139--148.)

The Realized One, footprint, roof peak,
roots, heartwood, jasmine,
monarch, sun and moon,
and cloth is the tenth.

The Chapter on Hard Work

SN 50.23--34 Hard Work Balakaraṇīyavagga

(Tell in full as in the chapter on hard work at SN 45.149--160.)

Hard work, seeds, and dragons,
a tree, a pot, and a spike,
the atmosphere, and two on clouds,
a ship, a guest house, and a river.

The Chapter on Searches

SN 50.35--44 Searches Esanāvagga

(Tell in full as in the chapter on searches at SN 45.161--170.)

Searches, discriminations, defilements,
states of existence, three kinds of suffering,
barrenness, stains, and troubles,
feelings, craving, and thirst.

The Chapter on Floods

SN 50.45--54 Floods, Etc. Oghavagga

"Mendicants, there are five higher fetters. What five? Desire for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, desire for rebirth in the formless realm, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance. These are the five higher fetters.

The five powers should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters. What five? It's when a mendicant develops the powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

These five powers should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters."

(Tell in full as in SN 45.171--179, with the above as the final discourse.)

Another Chapter of Abbreviated Texts on the Ganges

SN 50.55--66 Sloping East, Etc. Punagaṅgāpeyyālavagga

"Mendicants, the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.

And how does a mendicant who develops the five powers slant, slope, and incline to extinguishment? It's when a mendicant develops the powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which culminate in the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.

That's how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment."

::: small (Tell in full for each of the different rivers as in SN 45.91--102, removal of greed version.) :::

Six on slanting to the east,
and six on slanting to the ocean;
these two sixes make twelve,
and that's how this chapter is recited.

Another Chapter on Diligence

SN 50.67--76 Another Chapter on Diligence Punaappamādavagga

::: small (This text consists of the title only. Tell in full as in SN 45.139--148, removal of greed version.) :::

Another Chapter on Hard Work

SN 50.77--88 Another Chapter on Hard Work Punabalakaraṇīyavagga

(Tell in full as in SN 45.149--160, removal of greed version.)

Another Chapter on Searches

SN 50.89--98 Another Series on Searches, Etc. Punaesanāvagga

(Tell in full as in SN 45.161--170, removal of greed version.)

Searches, discriminations, defilements,
states of existence, three kinds of suffering,
barrenness, stains, and troubles,
feelings, craving, and thirst.

Another Chapter on Floods

SN 50.99--108 Another Series on Floods, Etc. Punaoghavagga

"Mendicants, there are five higher fetters. What five? Desire for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, desire for rebirth in the formless realm, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance. These are the five higher fetters.

The five powers should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters. What five? A mendicant develops the powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which culminate in the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.

These five powers should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters."

Floods, yokes, grasping,
ties, and underlying tendencies,
kinds of sensual stimulation, hindrances,
aggregates, and fetters high and low.