Skip to content

Five Powers (`pañca balāni`)

14S5/6.1.1—12 Balādisutta

1310. “Bhikkhave, these are five powers. Which five?

  • The power of saddha (faith),
  • the power of vīriya (energy),
  • the power of sati (awareness),
  • the power of samādhi (focus),
  • the power of paññā (wisdom) —

Just as, bhikkhave, the river Ganges slopes, inclines, and tends towards the east; so too, bhikkhave, a bhikkhu who develops these five powers, who makes them abundant, slopes, inclines, and tends towards Nibbāna.

And how, bhikkhave, does a bhikkhu who develops these five powers, who makes them abundant, slope, incline, and tend towards Nibbāna? Here, bhikkhave,

  • A bhikkhu develops the power of faith, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment.
  • He develops the power of energy …
  • He develops the power of awareness …
  • He develops the power of focus …
  • He develops the power of wisdom …

Thus, bhikkhave, a bhikkhu who develops these five powers, who makes them abundant, slopes, inclines, and tends towards Nibbāna.”

mindmap
  root((pañca balāni))
    saddhābalaṃ
    vīriyabalaṃ
    satibalaṃ
    samādhibalaṃ
    paññābalaṃ