What are the Characteristics of the 5 Abilities?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these 5 mental abilities
(indriya). What five?
The ability of
Faith
(saddhā)
The ability of
Energy
(viriya)
The ability of
Awareness
(sati)
The ability of
Concentration
(samādhi)
The ability of
Understanding
(pañña)
And what, Bhikkhus, is the
Faith ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is convinced by the reality
of the unexcelled
enlightenment of the Tathagata thus:
The Blessed One is indeed an Arahat,
perfectly self-enlightened, consummated
in knowledge and behaviour, well
transcended, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable trainer of those who can
be tamed, teacher and guide both
of devas and as well of humans, the self
Enlightened Buddha, the all Blessed One...
This is called the Faith ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the
Energy ability?
It is when Disciple lives while enthusiastically eliminating
any detrimental
mental state, and while gradually achieving any advantageous
mental states.
In this he is strong, determined, not shirking any good
opportunity to cultivate
advantageous mental states... This is called
the Energy ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the
Awareness ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is aware
by possessing both acute awareness
of the present,
and also memory of any past. He is one who remembers and
recollects both what was
actually done, and also what was said very long ago.
This is called the ability of
Awareness...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the
Concentration ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple gains concentrated absorption into the object,
having made release the object. This is indeed called the
Concentration ability...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the
Understanding
ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is
intelligent by possessing understanding of
the continual arising and passing away, which is Noble and cutting through,
leading to the complete destruction of
both Craving and thus Suffering.
This is
indeed called the
Understanding ability...
These fine five qualities, Bhikkhus and Friends, are
the 5 mental abilities!
On These Five Mental Abilities
(indriya) see:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
Source of reference
(edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha.
Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V: 197]
48 The Mental Abilities (Indriya): 9 Analysis..
