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Anguttara Nikāya 
The Numerical Discourses  
 
Dasakanipāta  
(Book of the Tens) 
 
AN 10.54 
 
Samatha Sutta  
“Internal Serenity” 
 
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana 
 
Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2023 
 
“Bhikkhus, before training yourselves to become able to penetrate and understand the 
hearts of others, first, you must train yourselves to become able to penetrate and understand your 
own heart. This is the right kind of practice. 
“And how, Bhikkhus, should you train yourselves to become able to penetrate and understand 
your own heart? 
“Bhikkhus, imagine a woman or a man who is young and youthful, fond of wearing adornments, 
who would take a clean mirror, or pour water into a vessel and look at the reflection of their face 
in it. If they were to see some dirt or blemish on their face, they would quickly try their best to 
remove it. And, if they did not see any dirt or blemish, they would be completely satisfied on 
account of it, as they consider to themselves:  
‘I’m so glad for being fortunate, for I am without any blemishes, seeing that my face is clean.’  
“In the same manner, Bhikkhus, self-examining, as you check the level of your heart, is crucial 
for the Bhikkhu to grow in his wholesome qualities. Therefore, you should pause and check the 
quality of your heart by asking:  
‘Do I attain the internal serenity of the Heart, or do I not?’ 
‘Do I possess the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma, or do I not?’ 
“If the Bhikkhu, while self-examining, knows that although he is able to attain the internal 
serenity of the Heart but does not yet possess the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma, 
then, while being grounded in his attainment of the internal serenity of the Heart, he should apply

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himself to achieve the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma. And by doing so, sometime 
later, he is able to attain both the internal serenity of the Heart and the Higher Wisdom and 
Vision of The Dhamma. 
“And, if the Bhikkhu knows, while self-examining, that although he does possess the Higher 
Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma, but he is not yet able to attain the internal serenity of the 
Heart, then, while being grounded in his attainment of the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The 
Dhamma, he should apply himself to achieve the internal serenity of the Heart. And by doing so, 
sometime later, he is able to attain both the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma and the 
internal serenity of the Heart. 
“But, if the Bhikkhu knows, while self-examining, that he neither is able to attain the internal 
serenity of the Heart nor does he possess the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma, then, 
he should immediately put forth exceptional fervency, dedicated effort, zeal, determination, and 
unremitting energy, along with consistent mindfulness and clear comprehension, in order to 
abandon those evil and unwholesome qualities.  
“Bhikkhus, just like someone whose head hair and clothes have caught fire, would immediately 
put forth exceptional fervency, dedicated effort, zeal, determination, and unremitting energy, 
along with consistent mindfulness and clear comprehension, in order to extinguish the fire 
blazing over his head and clothes;  
“In the same manner, that Bhikkhu should immediately put forth exceptional fervency, dedicated 
effort, zeal, determination, and unremitting energy, along with consistent mindfulness and clear 
comprehension, in order to attain both the internal serenity of the Heart and the Higher Wisdom 
and Vision of The Dhamma. And by doing so, sometime later, he is able to attain both the 
internal serenity of the Heart and the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma. 
“And, if the Bhikkhu knows, while self-examining, that he is able to attain both the internal 
serenity of the Heart and possesses the Higher Wisdom and Vision of The Dhamma, then, while 
being grounded in these wholesome states, he should further apply himself, in order to destroy 
the mental contaminants. 
“Bhikkhus, I declare that there are two kinds of robes: those you should wear and those you 
should not wear. Similarly, there are two kinds of alms food: the one to be eaten and the one not 
to be eaten. Similarly, there are two kinds of dwellings: those that should be resided in, and those 
that should not be resided in. Similarly, there are two kinds of villages and towns: those that are 
to be resorted to and those that are not to be resorted to. Similarly, there are two kinds of 
kingdoms: the one that you should go to, and the one that you should not go to. In addition, there 
are two kinds of people: those you should associate with and those you should not associate with. 
“Now, Bhikkhus, when I declare that there are two kinds of robes: those you should wear and 
those you should not wear, what is the reason for this to be said?

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“If, on examining, you see that by wearing a certain kind of robe which you received, 
unwholesome qualities would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, 
then, you should not be wearing them.  
“However, if, on examining, you see that by wearing a certain kind of robe which you received, 
unwholesome qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would increase, 
then, you may go ahead and wear them.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared that there are two kinds of robes: those 
you should wear and those you should not wear.  
“When I declare, Bhikkhus, that there are two kinds of alms food: the one to be eaten and the one 
not to be eaten, what is the reason for this to be said?  
“If, on examining, you see that by eating a certain kind of alms food which you received, 
unwholesome qualities would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, 
then, you should not be eating it.  
“However, if, on examining, you see that by eating a certain kind of alms food which you 
received, unwholesome qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would 
increase, then, you may go ahead and eat it.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared that there are two kinds of alms food: the 
one to be eaten and the one not to be eaten. 
“When I declare, Bhikkhus, that there are two kinds of dwellings: those that should be resided in, 
and those that should not be resided in, what is the reason for this to be said?  
“If, on examining, you see that by residing in a certain kind of dwelling which you received, 
unwholesome qualities would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, 
then, you should not be residing in them.  
“However, if, on examining, you see that by residing in a certain kind of dwelling which you 
received, unwholesome qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would 
increase, then, you may go ahead and reside in them.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared that there are two kinds of dwellings: 
those that should be resided in, and those that should not be resided in. 
“When I declare, Bhikkhus, that there are two kinds of villages and towns: those that are to be 
resorted to and those that are not to be resorted to, what is the reason for this to be said?  
“If, on examining, you see that by resorting to a certain kind of village or town, unwholesome 
qualities would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, then, you 
should not be resorting to them.

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“However, if, on examining, you see that by resorting to a certain village or town, unwholesome 
qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would increase, then, you may 
go ahead and resort to them.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared that there are two kinds of villages and 
towns: those that are to be resorted to and those that are not to be resorted to. 
“When I declare, Bhikkhus, that there are two kinds of kingdoms: the one you should go to, and 
the one you should not go to, what is the reason for this to be said?  
“If, on examining, you see that by going to a certain kind of kingdom, unwholesome qualities 
would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, then, you should not go 
to them.  
“However, if, on examining, you see that by going to a certain kind of kingdom, unwholesome 
qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would increase, then, you may 
go to them.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared, that there are two kinds of kingdoms: 
the one you should go to, and the one you should not go to. 
“When I declare, Bhikkhus, that there are two kinds of people: those you should associate with 
and those you should not associate with, what is the reason for this to be said?  
“If, on examining, you see that by associating with a certain kind of person, unwholesome 
qualities would be increasing in you, while wholesome qualities would decrease, then, you 
should not associate with them.  
“However, if, on examining, you see that by associating with a certain kind of person, 
unwholesome qualities would be decreasing in you, while wholesome qualities would increase, 
then, you may go ahead and associate with them.  
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, this is the reason why I declared, that there are two kinds of people: those 
you should associate with and those you should not associate with.” 
 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu
