2. The Trainee's Powers

AN 5:2 The Trainee's Powers

Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

Monks, there are five powers of one in higher training. What five?

The trainee’s powers of faith, shame, moral dread, energy, and wisdom.

And what is the power of faith? Here, monks, a noble disciple has faith; he places faith in the enlightenment of the Tathagata: “The Blessed One is an arahat, fully enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.”

And what is the power of shame? Here, monks, a noble disciple has a sense of shame; he feels ashamed of bad behaviour by body, speech, and mind; he feels ashamed of anything evil and unwholesome.

And what is the power of moral dread? Here, monks, a noble disciple has moral dread; he dreads bad behaviour by body, speech, and mind; he dreads anything evil and unwholesome.

And what is the power of energy? Here, monks, a noble disciple lives with energy set upon the abandoning of everything unwholesome and the acquiring of everything wholesome; he is steadfast and strong in his effort, not shirking his task in regard to wholesome qualities.

And what is the power of wisdom? Here, monks, a noble disciple is wise; he possesses that wisdom which sees into the rise and fall of phenomena, which is noble and penetrating, and leads to the complete destruction of suffering.

These, monks, are the five powers of one in higher training.

Therefore, O monks, you should train yourselves thus: “We will acquire the powers of faith, shame, moral dread, energy, and wisdom possessed by one in higher training!” Thus should you train yourselves.