SN 48.52

Mallikasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati uruvelakappaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti.

In the Land of the Mallas

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Mallas, near the Mallian town named Uruvelakappa. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, as long as noble knowledge hasn’t arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties are not stable and fixed. But when noble knowledge has arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties become stable and fixed.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ na ussitaṁ hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa kūṭaṁ ussitaṁ hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, atha gopānasīnaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ na uppannaṁ hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ saṇṭhiti hoti, neva tāva catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ avaṭṭhiti hoti. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa ariyañāṇaṁ uppannaṁ hoti, atha catunnaṁ indriyānaṁ …pe… avaṭṭhiti hoti.

It’s just like in a bungalow. As long as the roof peak is not lifted into place, the rafters are not stable or fixed. But when the roof peak is lifted into place, the rafters become stable and fixed. In the same way, as long as noble knowledge hasn’t arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties are not stable and fixed. But when noble knowledge has arisen for a noble disciple the four faculties become stable and fixed.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Saddhindriyassa, vīriyindriyassa, satindriyassa, samādhindriyassa. Paññavato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tadanvayā saddhā saṇṭhāti, tadanvayaṁ vīriyaṁ saṇṭhāti, tadanvayā sati saṇṭhāti, tadanvayo samādhi saṇṭhātī”ti.

What four? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, and immersion. When a noble disciple has wisdom, the faith, energy, mindfulness, and immersion that follow along with that become stabilized.”