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AN 6.13 
Nissāraṇīya Sutta 
“Elements to be Driven Out” 
 
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana 
 
Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2022 
 
 
Bhikkhus, these are the six elements to be driven out. What six? 
 
1. Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have cultivated and developed the heart’s release through loving kindness, which has now 
become my habit and the basis of my constant practice. But even though I have been engaged in 
it, having scrutinized, and properly undertaken it, yet I still experience hatred overwhelming my 
heart and I feel lost because of it!’ Then, this Bhikkhu should be advised in the following 
manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm, for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
cultivated and developed the heart’s release through loving kindness, when it’s already turned 
into a habit as the basis of one’s constant practice, by engaging in it, having scrutinized, and 
properly undertaken it, that one may still experience hatred overwhelming one’s heart or even 
feel lost because of it! After all, Friend, hatred is driven out when the heart is released through 
loving kindness.” 
 
2. Again, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have cultivated and developed the heart’s release through compassion, which has now become 
my habit and the basis of my constant practice. But even though I have been engaged in it, 
having scrutinized, and properly undertaken it, yet I still experience hostility overwhelming my 
heart and I feel lost because of it!’ Then, this Bhikkhu should be advised in the following 
manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm, for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
cultivated and developed the heart’s release through compassion, when it’s already turned into 
a habit as the basis of one’s constant practice, by engaging in it, having scrutinized, and 
properly undertaken it, that one may still experience hostility overwhelming one’s heart or even 
feel lost because of it! After all, Friend, hostility is driven out when the heart is released through 
compassion.”

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3. Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have cultivated and developed the heart’s release through altruistic joy, which has now 
become my habit and the basis of my constant practice. But even though I have been engaged in 
it, having scrutinized, and properly undertaken it, yet I still experience resentment overwhelming 
my heart and I feel lost because of it!’ Then, this Bhikkhu should be advised in the following 
manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
cultivated and developed the heart’s release through altruistic joy, when it’s already turned into 
a habit as the basis of one’s constant practice, by engaging in it, having scrutinized, and 
properly undertaken it, that one may still experience resentment overwhelming one’s heart or 
even feel lost because of it! After all, Friend, resentment is driven out when the heart is released 
through altruistic joy.” 
 
4. Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have cultivated and developed the heart’s release through equanimity, which has now become 
my habit and the basis of my constant practice. But even though I have been engaged in it, 
having scrutinized, and properly undertaken it, yet I still experience lust overwhelming my heart 
and I feel lost because of it!’ Then, this Bhikkhu should be advised in the following manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
cultivated and developed the heart’s release through equanimity, when it’s already turned into a 
habit as the basis of one’s constant practice, by engaging in it, having scrutinized, and properly 
undertaken it, that one may still experience lust overwhelming one’s heart or even feel lost 
because of it! After all, Friend, lust is driven out when the heart is released through 
equanimity.” 
 
 
5. Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have cultivated and developed the Signless Release of the Heart, which has now become my 
habit and the basis of my constant practice. But even though I have been engaged in it, having 
scrutinized, and properly undertaken it, yet I still experience signs overwhelming my heart and I 
feel lost because of this!’ Then, this Bhikkhu should be advised in the following manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
cultivated and developed the Signless Release of the Heart, when it’s already turned into a habit 
as the basis of one’s constant practice, by engaging in it, having scrutinized, and properly

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undertaken it, that one may still experience signs overwhelming one’s heart or even feel lost 
because of this! After all, Friend, all signs are driven out through the Signless Release of the 
Heart.” 
 
6. Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu would say: 
 
‘I have uprooted the conceit “I am” and am fully rid of it, as there is no more the notion of “I 
am this” left in me. But even though I do not regard anything as “I am,” yet I still experience 
doubts and confusion overwhelming my heart and I feel lost because of this!’ Then, this 
Bhikkhu should be advised in the following manner: 
 
“Do not say so, Venerable Sir! Do not misinterpret the words of The Blessed One nor 
misrepresent Him, for to do so brings you much harm for a very long time! The Blessed One has 
never said nor instructed such a thing! Because it would be impossible that when one has 
uprooted the conceit “I am,” when there is no more the notion of “I am this” left in him, that one 
may still experience doubts and confusion overwhelming one’s heart or even feel lost because of 
this! After all, Friend, all doubts and confusion are driven out through the uprooting of the 
conceit “I am.”” 
 
Bhikkhus, these are the six elements to be driven out. 
 
 
Sadhu  
Sadhu  
Sadhu