AN 5.181

Āraññikasutta

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, āraññikā. Katame pañca? Mandattā momūhattā āraññiko hoti, pāpiccho icchāpakato āraññiko hoti, ummādā cittakkhepā āraññiko hoti, vaṇṇitaṁ buddhehi buddhasāvakehīti āraññiko hoti, appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca āraññikā. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ yvāyaṁ āraññiko appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti, ayaṁ imesaṁ pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.

Wilderness Dwellers

“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of wilderness dwellers. What five? One may be a wilderness dweller because of stupidity and folly. Or because of corrupt wishes, being of wishful temperament. Or because of madness and mental disorder. Or because it is praised by the Buddhas and their disciples. Or for the sake of having few wishes, for the sake of contentment, self-effacement, seclusion, and simplicity. These are the five kinds of wilderness dwellers. But the one who dwells in the wilderness for the sake of having few wishes is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the five.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo, sappimaṇḍo tattha aggamakkhāyati; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imesaṁ pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ yvāyaṁ āraññiko appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti, ayaṁ imesaṁ pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā”ti.

From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. In the same way, the one who dwells in the wilderness for the sake of having few wishes is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the five.”