Paṭhama-Pañcaverabhaya Sutta — The First Discourse on the Five Dangers
[151] The Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, paid homage, and sat to one side. The Blessed One said to him:
“Householder, when the five dangers and hostilities (pañcaverabhayāni) are stilled for an Ariyasāvaka, then that Ariyasāvaka becomes endowed with the four factors of stream-entry, and with the right and supreme Dhamma of penetration (ñāyadhamma). Having seen this well and penetrated it with wisdom, he may declare for himself:
‘Infernal realms are ended for me. The animal womb is ended. The realm of ghosts (pittivisaya) is ended. All apāya—states of misery, evil destinies, downfall—are ended. I am a Sotāpanna, not liable to decline, certain of awakening in a future life.’”
The Five Dangers Stilled
[152] “Householder, what are the five dangers?
- One who kills living beings experiences dangers and hostilities in this life and in the next, and mental suffering (domanassa) due to killing. For an Ariyasāvaka who abstains from killing, this danger is stilled.
- One who steals experiences dangers in this life and in the next, and mental suffering due to taking what is not given. For an Ariyasāvaka who abstains from taking what is not given, this danger is stilled.
- One who commits sexual misconduct experiences dangers in this life and in the next, and mental suffering due to misconduct. For an Ariyasāvaka who abstains, this danger is stilled.
- One who speaks falsehood experiences dangers in this life and in the next, and mental suffering due to lying. For an Ariyasāvaka who abstains, this danger is stilled.
- One who is heedless through liquor, wine, and intoxicants experiences dangers in this life and in the next, and mental suffering due to heedlessness born of drink. For an Ariyasāvaka who abstains, this danger is stilled.
Thus, householder, these five dangers and hostilities are stilled.”
The Four Factors of Stream-Entry
[153] “And what are the four factors of Sotāpatti?
- Unshakeable confidence in the Buddha: ‘The Blessed One is an Arahant, Fully Self-Awakened, perfect in knowledge and conduct, the Well-gone, knower of worlds, incomparable trainer, teacher of devas and humans, awakened, blessed.’
- Unshakeable confidence in the Dhamma: ‘The Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One—visible here and now, timeless, inviting inspection, leading onward, to be realized by the wise individually.’
- Unshakeable confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples has entered the good way, the straight way, the true way, the proper way; namely, the four pairs, the eight persons—worthy of gifts, hospitality, offerings, reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’
- Ariya-sīla: virtue loved by the Noble Ones— unbroken, untorn, stainless, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, not grasped by craving or wrong view, conducive to concentration.
These are the four factors.”
The Noble Right Principle (Ñāya-Dhamma)
[154] “And what is the right and excellent principle (ñāyadhamma) that the Ariyasāvaka sees well and penetrates with wisdom?
He wisely attends to Paṭiccasamuppāda, thus:
‘When this exists, that comes to be. With the arising of this, that arises. When this is absent, that is absent. With the cessation of this, that ceases.’
Thus:
- With avijjā as condition: saṅkhārā.
- With saṅkhārā: viññāṇa.
- With viññāṇa: nāma-rūpa.
- With nāma-rūpa: saḷāyatana.
- With saḷāyatana: phassa.
- With phassa: vedanā.
- With vedanā: taṇhā.
- With taṇhā: upādāna.
- With upādāna: bhava.
- With bhava: jāti.
- With jāti: jarāmaraṇa, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.
“This is the arising of this whole mass of dukkha.
But with the fading away and cessation of avijjā, saṅkhārā cease; with the cessation of saṅkhārā, viññāṇa ceases; … thus the whole mass of dukkha ceases.
This noble principle the Ariyasāvaka has seen well and penetrated with wisdom.”
The Ariyasāvaka’s Self-Declaration
[155] “Householder, when the five dangers are stilled, and when the Ariyasāvaka is endowed with the four Sotāpatti-factors, and when he has seen and penetrated this right and noble principle, then he may declare of himself:
‘Hell is ended for me. The animal realm is ended. The ghost realm (pittivisaya) is ended. All apāya are ended. I am a Sotāpanna— one not liable to decline, certain to attain awakening in the future.’”
End of the Paṭhama-Pañcaverabhaya Sutta. Kahapativagga 5.
Short Pāli Glossary (concise)
Ariyasāvaka — disciple of the Noble Ones pañcaverabhayāni — the five dangers/hostilities pittivisaya — realm of hungry ghosts apāya / duggati / vinipāta — states of misery, bad destinations Sotāpanna — stream-enterer saddhā-aveccappasāda — unshakeable confidence (in Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha) ariyasīla — Noble Ones’ virtue (pure, unbroken) ñāyadhamma — the right principle; here: Paṭiccasamuppāda Paṭiccasamuppāda — dependent arising avijjā → jarāmaraṇa — the twelvefold chain saṅkhārā — volitional formations viññāṇa — consciousness nāma-rūpa — mentality-materiality saḷāyatana — six sense bases phassa — contact vedanā — feeling taṇhā — craving upādāna — clinging bhava — becoming jāti — birth