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The Discourse on the Trainee's Practice
Practice

The Discourse on the Trainee's Practice

Sekhapaṭipadāsuttaṃ

Four foundations and seven good qualities that let a practitioner "sit on the eggs properly" — just as a hen who sits on her eggs steadily will see the chicks break out by themselves.

5 points

In the Sekha Sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu finished a new assembly hall and invited the Buddha to be the first to use it. After teaching late into the night, the Buddha's back ached, so he asked Ānanda to teach in his place.

Ānanda described the practice of a trainee — one still in higher training: being virtuous, guarding the sense doors, moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, possessing seven good qualities, and attaining the four jhānas at will.

He compared such a practitioner to a hen who has sat on her eggs properly and steadily: the chicks will break out by themselves. When Ānanda finished, the Buddha approved, saying it was well spoken.

  1. 1

    Accomplished in virtue Sīlasampanno

    Being virtuous, restrained by the Pātimokkha, perfect in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest fault.

    Applying it in daily life

    Virtue is the eggshell within which the chick can grow. See "The Five Precepts".

  2. 2

    Guarding the sense doors Indriyesu guttadvāro

    On seeing a form with the eye or hearing a sound with the ear, not grasping at signs and features through which unwholesome states might flow in.

    Applying it in daily life

    You needn't walk with eyes closed, but don't stare at or listen to everything until the mind is dragged along.

  3. 3

    Moderation in eating Bhojane mattaññū

    Reflecting before eating that it is not for fun or intoxication, but to sustain the body and support the holy life.

    Applying it in daily life

    See "The Four Reflections on Requisites".

  4. 4

    Devotion to wakefulness Jāgariyaṃ anuyutto

    Purifying the mind of hindrances by walking and sitting through the day and the first and last watches of the night, resting mindfully only as needed.

    Applying it in daily life

    For lay people, this means not oversleeping, and using the early morning or before bed to train the mind.

  5. 5

    The seven good qualities and the four jhānas Sattahi saddhammehi samannāgato

    Possessing faith, shame, fear of wrongdoing, learning, energy, mindfulness and wisdom, and attaining the four jhānas at will. Such a practitioner is on the trainee's path, like eggs a hen has sat on well.

    Applying it in daily life

    If the causes are complete and steady, there's no need to keep asking when you'll attain — just as the hen needn't wish for her chicks to hatch.

Try it in daily life

The first four are foundations for everyone, often overlooked because they seem ordinary: keep virtue, don't let eyes and ears drag you around, eat moderately, and don't oversleep. Many people want deep calm without first making these four firm.

The hen simile says not to worry about results: if the causes are complete and steady, the results come by themselves. Read alongside "Five Kinds of Mental Barrenness and Five Mental Bondages", which uses the same simile.

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