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Teachings

The Seven Factors of Awakening

Satta-sambojjhaṅgā

[SN 46.19]
satt'ime, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā bahulīkatā ariyā niyyānikā nīyanti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Pāli POS Grammar English
satta- adj seven
ime pron masc.nom.pl these
bojjhaṅgā noun masc.nom.pl elements of awakening, factors of enlightenment
bhāvitā pp masc.nom.pl cultivated, developed, lit. caused to be
bahulīkatā adj masc.nom.pl practised often, devoted oneself to lit. made much of
ariyā adj masc.nom.pl noble, distinguished
ariyā adj fem.nom.sg noble, distinguished
niyyānikā adj fem.nom.sg redemptive, salvatory, leading to deliverance lit. leading out
nīyanti verb pr.3.pl go out, go forth (to); leading to
takkarassa adj masc.dat.sg for who does that, doing that, who practices in accordance with that
sammā ind completely, thoroughly, fully, totally
dukkhakkhayāya noun masc.dat.sg for destruction of suffering, termination of misery

O monks, these seven factors of awakening, cultivated and practised often, are noble and redemptive, and lead one who practises in accordance with that to the complete destruction of suffering.

[SN 46.3]
ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sīlasampannā samādhisampannā ñāṇasampannā vimuttisampannā vimuttiñāṇadassana-sampannā, dassanam'p'āhaṃ, bhikkhave, tesaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ bahukāraṃ vadāmi

Pāli POS Grammar English
ye pron masc.nom.pl whoever, whichever
te pron masc.nom.pl those, they
bhikkhū noun masc.nom.pl monks
sīlasampannā adj masc.nom.pl accomplished in virtue, of excellent morality
samādhisampannā adj masc.nom.pl accomplished in stability of mind, skilled in mental stillness
ñāṇasampannā adj masc.nom.pl accomplished in understanding, skilled in insight
vimuttisampannā adj masc.nom.pl accomplished in emancipation, skilled in liberation
vimuttiñāṇadassana- noun nt total understanding of emancipation, knowing and seeing of release, knowledge and vision of liberation
sampannā adj masc.nom.pl succeeded, prospered, accomplished
dassanaṃ- noun nt.acc.sg sight (of), vision (of), appearance (of)
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I
tesaṃ pron masc.gen.pl their, of these, of them, of those
bhikkhūnaṃ noun masc.gen.pl of monks, mendicants, lit. beggars
bahukāraṃ adj nt.acc.sg very useful, extremely helpful, of great service, lit. doing much
vadāmi verb pr.1.sg I say, I tell, I speak

Those monks, who are accomplished in virtue, accomplished in stability of mind, accomplished in understanding, accomplished in emancipation, accomplished in knowledge and vision of liberation. Even the sight of those monks is extremely helpful, I say.

savanam'p'āhaṃ, upasaṅkamanam'p'āhaṃ, payirupāsanam'p'āhaṃ, anussatim'p'āhaṃ, anupabbajjam'p'āhaṃ

Pāli POS Grammar English
savanam- noun nt.acc.sg hearing, listening (to)
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I
upasaṅkamanam- noun nt.acc.sg approaching, visiting
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I
payirupāsanam- noun nt.acc.sg associating closely (with), attending (to) lit. sitting around near
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I
anussatim- noun fem.acc.sg memory (of), recollection (of)
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I
anupabbajjam- noun fem.acc.sg following into the monastic life, going forth after
api ind even, even then
ahaṃ pron 1.nom.sg I

even listening to (them), even approaching (them), even associating closely with (them), even recollecting (them), even going forth after (them is helpful)

taṃ kissa hetu? tathārūpānaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṃ dhammaṃ sutvā dvayena vūpakāsena vūpakaṭṭho viharati — kāyavūpakāsena ca cittavūpakāsena ca.

Pāli POS Grammar English
taṃ pron masc.acc.sg that
kissa pron masc.dat.sg for what?; for what reason?; why?
hetu noun masc.nom.sg reason, cause

what's the reason for that? why is that?

Pāli POS Grammar English
tathārūpānaṃ adj masc.gen.pl of such, so formed, of such quality
bhikkhūnaṃ noun masc.gen.pl of monks
dhammaṃ noun masc.acc.sg the Teaching, Doctrine
sutvā verb abs having heard, having listened (to)
dvayena noun nt.ins.sg by two kinds, pair, couple, dyad
vūpakāsena noun masc.ins.sg by seclusion, isolation, solitude
vūpakaṭṭho adj masc.nom.sg secluded, isolated, withdrawn
viharati verb pr.3.sg lives, stays, remains, continues
kāyavūpakāsena noun masc.ins.sg by physical seclusion, bodily isolation
ca ind and
cittavūpakāsena noun masc.ins.sg by mental seclusion, mental isolation
ca ind and

Having heard the Teaching of such monks, one dwells secluded by two kinds of solitude, by physical seclusion and by mental seclusion.

so tathā vūpakaṭṭho viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ anussarati anuvitakketi.

Pāli POS Grammar English
so pron masc.nom.sg he
tathā ind so, thus, in such a way, likewise, similarly
vūpakaṭṭho adj masc.nom.sg secluded, isolated, withdrawn
viharanto prp masc.nom.sg living, staying, remaining, continuing
taṃ pron masc.acc.sg that
dhammaṃ noun masc.acc.sg the Teaching, Doctrine
anussarati verb pr.3.sg remembers, recollects, bears in mind
anuvitakketi verb pr.3.sg ponders (over), reflects (on), rethinks reconsiders

Dwelling secluded in such a way, he recollects and reflects on that teaching.

so tathā sato viharanto taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya pavicinati pavicarati parivīmaṃsam'āpajjati.

Pāli POS Grammar English
so pron masc.nom.sg he
tathā ind so, thus, in such a way, likewise, similarly
sato adj masc.nom.sg mindful, present, attentive
viharanto prp masc.nom.sg living, staying, remaining, continuing
taṃ pron masc.acc.sg that
dhammaṃ noun masc.acc.sg the Teaching, Doctrine
paññāya noun fem.ins.sg by wisdom, with intelligence, by understanding, with insight
pavicinati verb pr.3.sg investigates, examines, tests
pavicarati verb pr.3.sg examines, investigates, considers carefully
parivīmaṃsaṃ- noun fem thorough investigation, complete examination, lit. all around investigation
āpajjati verb pr.3.sg arouses, exhibits, produces, engages in brings into being

Dwelling mindful in such a way, he investigates with wisdom this teaching, considers carefully, and produces a complete examination.

tassa taṃ dhammaṃ paññāya pavicinato pavicarato parivīmaṃsamāpajjato āraddhaṃ hoti vīriyaṃ asallīnaṃ.

Pāli POS Grammar English
tassa pron masc.dat.sg for one
taṃ pron masc.acc.sg that
dhammaṃ noun masc.acc.sg the Teaching, Doctrine
paññāya noun fem.ins.sg by wisdom, with intelligence, by understanding, with insight
pavicinato prp masc.dat.sg for investigating, examining, testing
pavicarato prp masc.dat.sg for examining, investigating, considering carefully
parivīmaṃsaṃ- noun fem thorough investigation, complete examination, lit. all-around investigation
āpajjato prp masc.dat.sg for arousing, exhibiting, producing bringing into being
āraddhaṃ pp nt.nom.sg aroused, applied
hoti verb pr.3.sg there is
vīriyaṃ noun nt.nom.sg effort, energy, might, power
asallīnaṃ adj nt.nom.sg active, without sluggishness

For one who investigates with wisdom this teaching, considers carefully, and produces complete examination, there is effort arises without sluggishness.

āraddhavīriyassa uppajjati pīti nirāmisā

Pāli POS Grammar English
āraddhavīriyassa adj masc.dat.sg for energetic (in), with energy aroused (to) applying energy (to), making an effort (to)
uppajjati verb pr.3.sg appears, arises, takes place
pīti noun fem.nom.sg delight, joy, rapture, bliss
nirāmisā adj fem.nom.sg not worldly, spiritual, non-physical lit. not fleshly

For one who is energetic, spiritual delight arises.

pītimanassa kāyopi passambhati cittampi passambhati

Pāli POS Grammar English
pītimanassa adj masc.dat.sg for delighted, exhilarated, thrilled lit. enraptured mind
kāyo- noun masc.nom.sg body
api ind and, even, even then
passambhati verb pr.3.sg calms down, relaxes
cittam- noun nt.nom.sg mind
api ind and, even, even then
passambhati verb pr.3.sg calms down, relaxes

For one with delighted mind, body calms down and mind calms down.

passaddhakāyassa sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati

Pāli POS Grammar English
passaddhakāyassa adj masc.dat.sg for one with relaxed body, calm body
sukhino adj masc.dat.sg for one at ease, happy, comfortable
cittaṃ noun nt.nom.sg mind, heart
samādhiyati verb pr.3.sg is calmed, becomes collected, becomes composed, becomes stable

For one with relaxed body and who at ease, mind becomes composed.

so tathāsamāhitaṃ cittaṃ sādhukaṃ ajjhupekkhitā hoti

Pāli POS Grammar English
so pron masc.nom.sg he
tathā- ind so, thus, in such a way, likewise, similarly
samāhitaṃ adj masc.nom.sg composed, centered, settled, collected
cittaṃ noun nt.nom.sg mind, heart
sādhukaṃ ind well, thoroughly, fully
ajjhupekkhitā noun masc.nom.sg who looks on indifferently, who observes equanimously
hoti verb pr.3.sg is

He is one who looks on with equanimity at the mind thus composed.

[SN 46.22]
ime kho bhikkhave satta bojjhaṅgā ti

O monks, these are the seven factors of awakening.

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