One Who Cultivates Fully Reaches Fulfillment One Who Cultivates in Parts Succeeds in Part

Monks, every half-month more than a hundred and fifty training guidelines come up for recitation; clansmen who aspire for their own good train in these. These are all comprised within these three trainings.

What three?

The training in the higher virtuous behavior (moral conduct), the training in the higher mind (mental discipline), and the training in the higher wisdom. These are the three trainings in which all this is comprised.

Here, Monks, a Monk fulfills virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom. He falls into wrongdoing in regard to the lesser and minor training guidelines and rehabilitates himself. 

For what reason? 

Because I have not said that he is incapable of this. But in regard to those training guidelines that are fundamental to the spiritual life, in practice of the spiritual life, his behavior is constant and steadfast. Having undertaken the training guidance, he trains in them.

With the destruction of the taints, he realizes for himself with direct knowledge (experience), in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he resides in it. 

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) between one life and the next.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) upon landing.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) without extra effort.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) with extra effort.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is one bound upstream, heading toward the heavenly realm.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), he is a Once-Returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, makes an end of discontentedness.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seed attainer who, after being reborn once more in human existence, makes an end of discontentedness.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among wholesome families two or three times, makes an end of discontentedness.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a seven-times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among heavenly beings and humans seven times at most, makes an end of discontentedness.

Thus, Monks, one who cultivates fully reaches fulfillment; one who cultivates in part succeeds in part. 

This training guidance, I say, is not unfruitful. 

(Reference: AN 3.86)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings leads to progress and improvement on The Path to Enlightenment in this life and in future lives (if any). He provides multiple aspects of progression of attainments providing more details about what one would experience as a result of progressing on The Path to Enlightenment in this life and in future lives (if any).

“Monks, every half-month more than a hundred and fifty training guidelines come up for recitation; clansmen who aspire for their own good train in these”: During the lifetime of The Buddha, memorizing and reciting The Teachings word-for-word was highly important. His Teachings lived on as an oral tradition so he taught his Students to memorize his Teachings verbatim and then recite those Teachings as a group every two (2) weeks, or “half-month”. This provided Students the incentive to learn The Teachings and then join as a group to encourage and support each other in reciting them. In this way, The Teachings could be remembered for future generations and is why we have The Buddha’s Teachings available to us today.

Because countless people remembered his Teachings word-for-word and reciting them, individuals learned, reflected, and practiced these Teachings for countless generations. Eventually, The Teachings were written down into The Pāli Canon which has been translated into multiple languages. What you are learning in this book series, traces back to the lifetime of The Buddha as “The Words of The Buddha” and The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. We know this is true because people today are experiencing the mental state of Enlightenment through these very Teachings you are learning in this book series. The description The Buddha provides in his own words of what Enlightenment is and is not, is being experienced by Practitioners who learned, reflected, and practiced these same Teachings. The mind becomes steady, calm, and unshakable, just as The Buddha describes.

A summary of The Buddha’s Teachings is provided in the “hundred and fifty training guidelines” mentioned in this sentence.

Today, many Ordained Practitioners continue this practice of remembering The Teachings and reciting them word-for-word in the Pāli language. This is not required in order to attain Enlightenment but, many of the Ordained Practitioners still do this as a way to honor and respect the traditions shared by The Buddha. I would encourage those same Practitioners to also ensure they are learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings in a language they deeply understand so that not only can they recite these Teachings in Pāli but instead, they can also practice these Teachings in such a way that they improve the condition of the mind to produce Enlightenment. Then, upon attaining Enlightenment, share the wisdom that leads to their Enlightenment with others who choose to learn and practice these Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment.

“These are all comprised within these three trainings”: The training The Buddha is referring to is The Eight Fold Path. The Eight Fold Path is Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Actions, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. This is “The Path to Enlightenment”.

The Eight Fold Path is categorized into three (3) different sections, wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline. “These three trainings” are referring to wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline but in more detail, the entire Eight Fold Path of Right View through Right Concentration. Referring to The Eight Fold Path as wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline is an easy way to reference The Eight Fold Path and the goal of each section of The Eight Fold Path, without needing to describe each step individually.

The following table will help you to understand the categorization of The Eight Fold Path into its three (3) separate categories which describes the goals of those individual steps. 

For example, learning, reflecting, and practicing Right View and Right Intention leads to the development of “wisdom”. Learning, reflecting, and practicing Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood leads to the development of “moral conduct”. And, learning, reflecting, and practicing Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration leads to the development of “mental discipline”.

“The training in the higher virtuous behavior (moral conduct), the training in the higher mind (mental discipline), and the training in the higher wisdom. These are the three trainings in which all this is comprised”: “Virtuous behavior” is moral conduct meaning, training and practicing Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. “Higher mind” is mental discipline meaning, training and practicing Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. “Higher wisdom” is the wisdom section of The Eight Fold Path meaning, training and practicing Right View and Right Intention.

“Here, Monks, a Monk fulfills virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom”: The Buddha is once again describing The Eight Fold Path but this time chooses to use the word “concentration” rather than “higher mind” because concentration is the result or benefit of training and practicing Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration through developing one’s mental discipline or “higher mind”. One might also refer to this as a higher consciousness.

“He falls into wrongdoing in regard to the lesser and minor training guidelines and rehabilitates himself”: It is not possible to learn The Eight Fold Path and then instantly practice it to perfection. A Practitioner will need gradual training and gradual practice to develop their life practice to experience gradual progress on The Path to Enlightenment.

As a Practitioner diverts from The Eight Fold Path in their journey to Enlightenment, they need to be aware of the shortcomings and then apply effort and energy to improve their wisdom, moral conduct, or mental discipline - as needed. They should focus on each individual step of The Eight Fold Path, refining their practice more and more closely, until the mind can easily and effortlessly practice Right View through Right Concentration as their first nature.

This would be how a Practitioner “rehabilitates himself”. They take note of the shortcomings, then apply effort and energy to ensure they deeply understand The Teachings and aim to practice The Teachings more closely. Where needed, seek guidance from a Teacher to understand how to improve your practice based on the challenges you are facing.

“Because I have not said that he is incapable of this. But in regard to those training guidelines that are fundamental to the spiritual life, in practice of the spiritual life, his behavior is constant and steadfast. Having undertaken the training guidance, he trains in them”: The Buddha is explaining how every Practitioner is capable of improving their life practice towards the attainment of Enlightenment. A Practitioner will be determinate, dedicated, and diligent resulting in “constant and steadfast” improvements to their life practice, the condition of the mind, and the condition of their life.

“With the destruction of the taints, he realizes for himself with direct knowledge (experience), in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he resides in it”: A Practitioner who has destroyed the taints has eliminated The Ten Fetters. These are the taints or pollution of mind hindering a being from experiencing Enlightenment. Through direct experience to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to discover the truth and acquire wisdom, the mind is taintless experiencing freedom of strong feelings or “liberation of mind”.

Liberation of mind is accomplished “by wisdom”. Through not believing these Teachings but instead, learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings to discover the truth, the mind acquires wisdom. Nothing in Gotama Buddha's Teachings is based on belief. All his Teachings can be learned and practiced to independently observe the truth as the mind "gradually" acquires wisdom through independent verification of his Teachings through practice of his Teachings. It is a real struggle to exist in a world that the unEnlightened mind does not understand.

This new found wisdom "gradually" improves the way the mind functions in the world through eliminating discontentedness of mind. The mind can completely eliminate all discontent feelings such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, stress, anxiety, etc. on The Path to Enlightenment.

Through actively learning and practicing Gotama Buddha's Teachings with guidance, the mind becomes Enlightened in that you can observe the improvement in the condition of the mind as you eliminate all discontent feelings where the mind can reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. You are not believing The Teachings wishing for a positive outcome at some point in the future or after death. Instead, you are observing the improvements to the condition of the mind right now - in the present moment.

Once the mind enters into Enlightenment by wisdom, “having entered upon it, he resides in it”. In other words, once the mind is Enlightened, this mental state is permanent. It is impossible for an Enlightened mind to regress or revert back to the unEnlightened state. The mind is too well trained through wisdom. Once you have the wisdom to not put the hand into a burning fire, will you ever again put the hand into a burning fire?

Once the mind acquires the wisdom of how to liberate it from strong feelings, having eliminated 100% of all discontentedness, the mind will never forget that wisdom and revert back to being angry, sad, frustrated, etc. ever again. The Enlightened mind is a permanent mental state of peacefulness, calmness, serenity, and contentedness with joy. It is the last challenge of all challenges. The being will never be reborn ever again to experience any further grief, sorrow, misery, or despair. Once the mind attains this mental state, you will be so glad you applied all the work and effort to attain Enlightenment never again experiencing any discontentedness whatsoever.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) between one life and the next”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the five lower fetters (i.e. attain the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner), the being will experience “Nibbāna (Enlightenment) between one life and the next”.

Nibbāna (Enlightenment) between one life and the next is how the mind will experience Enlightenment after their current life but before their next life, therefore, they will not be reborn. This can also be described as experiencing Enlightenment at death.

When an unEnlightened human being dies, they can die but then experience Enlightenment prior to rebirth into a new existence, therefore, they are not reborn.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) upon landing”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the five lower fetters (i.e. attain the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner), the being will experience “Nibbāna (Enlightenment) upon landing”.

“Nibbāna (Enlightenment) upon landing” is to experience Enlightenment in a future rebirth within the heavenly realm “upon landing” in the heavenly realm. “Upon landing” in a future heavenly rebirth, as all Non-Returners are reborn in the heavenly realm, a being will experience “Nibbāna (Enlightenment) upon landing”.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) without extra effort”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the five lower fetters (i.e. attain the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner), the being will experience “Nibbāna (Enlightenment) without extra effort”.

“Nibbāna (Enlightenment) without extra effort” is to experience Enlightenment in a future rebirth within the heavenly realm without extra effort to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings because one will be able to recall these Teachings from their prior life. So if you learned, reflected, and practiced these Teachings in this human life, made it to the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner being reborn into the heavenly realm, then you would attain Enlightenment in the heavenly realm without extra effort. This is because the mind will retain its understanding of these Teachings from the prior human life. 

Beings are not reborn from one existence back into another human existence in the same Stage of Enlightenment as they were in previously.

For example, A being who attains the third Stage of Enlightenment in a prior human life and is reborn, they are reborn unEnlightened with all of the same Ten Fetters in the mind in the heavenly realm. They will need to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to get back to the third Stage of Enlightenment and beyond but they will be able to do that “without extra effort” building upon their success in the prior human life where they attained the third Stage of Enlightenment.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of Nibbāna (Enlightenment) with extra effort”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the five lower fetters (i.e. attain the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner), the being will experience “Nibbāna (Enlightenment) with extra effort”.

“Nibbāna (Enlightenment) with extra effort” is to experience Enlightenment in a future rebirth within the heavenly realm with effort to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings. Beings are not reborn from one existence back into another existence in the same Stage of Enlightenment as they were in previously.

For example, A being who attains the third Stage of Enlightenment in a prior human life and is reborn, they are reborn unEnlightened with all of the same Ten Fetters in the mind in the heavenly realm. They will need to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to get back to the third Stage of Enlightenment and beyond but they will be able to do that “with extra effort” building upon their success in the prior human life where they attained the third Stage of Enlightenment.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is one bound upstream, heading toward the heavenly realm”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the five lower fetters (i.e. attain the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner), the being is “one bound upstream, heading toward the heavenly realm”. 

“One bound upstream, heading toward the heavenly realm” is that a being who learns, reflects, and practices these Teachings to the point of the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner is one headed towards Enlightenment and they will be reborn into the heavenly realm on their very next rebirth attaining Enlightenment in that existence.

A being who is “one bound upstream” is describing The Path to Enlightenment as a stream. The Buddha would use the analogy of how a log that enters the stream eventually finds its way to the ocean, the ocean being Enlightenment. Similarly, he described a Practitioner who becomes a Stream-Enterer has entered the steam towards the attainment of Enlightenment and will attain Enlightenment in no more than a maximum of seven (7) more rebirths. A Non-Returner, the third Stage of Enlightenment, one will be reborn into the heavenly realm attaining Enlightenment in their very next rebirth. They will “not return” to the human realm in any future rebirths. Thus, one is bound upstream who has attained the third Stage of Enlightenment as a Non-Returner. They are bound for the heavenly realm.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), he is a Once-Returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, makes an end of discontentedness”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the first three lower fetters and diminished craving, anger, and ignorance (i.e. attain the second Stage of Enlightenment as a Once-Returner), the being is “after coming back to this world only one more time, makes an end of discontentedness”.

This is describing that a Once-Returner will be reborn back into the human realm “only one more time” and then will attain Enlightenment in that very next rebirth within the human realm making “an end of discontentedness” (i.e. attains Enlightenment). 

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seed attainer who, after being reborn once more in human existence, makes an end of discontentedness”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the first three lower fetters (i.e. attain the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer and as a one-seed attainer), the being who is a one-seed attainer in the first Stage of Enlightenment “after coming back to this world only one more time, makes an end of discontentedness”.

This is describing that a Stream-Enterer who is a one-seed attainer will be reborn back into the human realm “only one more time” and then will attain Enlightenment in that very next rebirth within the human realm making “an end of discontentedness” (i.e. attains Enlightenment).

A Stream-Enterer will be reborn no more than seven (7) times. But, a Stream-Enterer who is a one-seed attainer will be reborn back into the human realm and attain Enlightenment in their very next rebirth in the human realm.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among wholesome families two or three times, makes an end of discontentedness”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the first three lower fetters (i.e. attain the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer and as a family-to-family attainer), the being who is a family-to-family attainer in the first Stage of Enlightenment “after roaming and wandering on among wholesome families two or three times, makes an end of discontentedness”.

This is describing that a Stream-Enterer who is a family-to-family attainer will be reborn back into the human realm “two or three times” and then will attain Enlightenment in their second or third rebirth within the human realm making “an end of discontentedness” (i.e. attains Enlightenment).

A Stream-Enterer will be reborn no more than seven (7) times. But, a Stream-Enterer who is a family-to-family attainer will be reborn back into the human realm and attain Enlightenment in the second or third rebirth being reborn two or three more times as they are reborn in wholesome families within the human realm.

“If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the complete destruction of three fetters, he is a seven-times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among heavenly beings and humans seven times at most, makes an end of discontentedness”: To attain Enlightenment, a being will need to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters. But here, The Buddha is explaining that if a being does not eliminate The Ten Fetters having only eliminated the first three lower fetters (i.e. attain the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer and as a seven-times-at-most attainer), the being who is a seven-times-at-most attainer in the first Stage of Enlightenment “after roaming and wandering on among heavenly beings and humans seven times at most, makes an end of discontentedness”.

This is describing that a Stream-Enterer who is a seven-times-at-most attainer will be reborn back into the heavenly realm and human realm a maximum of seven (7) more times and then will attain Enlightenment making “an end of discontentedness” (i.e. attains Enlightenment).

A Stream-Enterer will be reborn no more than seven (7) times in total.

“Thus, Monks, one who cultivates fully reaches fulfillment; one who cultivates in part succeeds in part”: The Buddha is explaining that one who fully cultivates their life practice to fully eliminate The Ten Fetters will reach to Enlightenment in this life. The mind will experience liberation or freedom from strong feelings. The Buddha refers to this as “reaches fulfillment” or the final goal.

“One who cultivates in parts succeeds in part” is how a being can acquire attainments part-by-part gradually progressing towards Enlightenment in segments as laid out in this Teaching. The Buddha explains each attainment in detail.

“This training guidance, I say, is not unfruitful”: Lastly, this Teaching shares that all the training on The Path to Enlightenment is progressing towards beneficial results. That as the mind is trained, a Practitioner can succeed fully in the attainment of Enlightenment or accumulate beneficial results part-by-part all leading towards the same goal of Enlightenment.

Fruitful = beneficial

Unfruitful = unbeneficial