an.4.170 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

In Tandem

On one occasion Ven. Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at Ghosita’s monastery. There he addressed the monks, “Friends!”

“Yes, friend,” the monks responded.

Ven. Ananda said: “Friends, whoever—monk or nun—declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of four paths. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquillity. As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it—his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded by insight. As he develops tranquillity preceded by insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it—his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity in tandem with insight. As he develops tranquillity in tandem with insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it—his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk’s mind has its restlessness concerning the Dhamma [Comm: the corruptions of insight] well under control. There comes a time when his mind grows steady inwardly, settles down, and becomes unified & concentrated. In him the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it—his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Whoever—monk or nun—declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of these four paths.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

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In Conjunction

So I have heard.
At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.
There Ānanda addressed the mendicants:
“Reverends, mendicants!”
“Reverend,” they replied.
Ānanda said this:
“Reverends, all of the monks and nuns who declare in my presence that they have attained perfection, did so by one or other of four paths.
What four?
Take a mendicant who develops serenity before discernment.
As they do so, the path is born in them.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
Another mendicant develops discernment before serenity.
As they do so, the path is born in them.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
Another mendicant develops serenity and discernment in conjunction.
As they do so, the path is born in them.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
Another mendicant’s mind is seized by restlessness to realize the teaching.
But there comes a time when their mind is stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi.
The path is born in them.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
All of the monks and nuns who declare in my presence that they have attained perfection, did so by one or other of these four paths.”