Overview
A trainee (sekha) is a noble disciple who is still in training. The first two suttas of the Book of Fives in the Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 5.1–2) name five powers of a trainee (sekhabalāni) and tell the monks to train so that they will be endowed with them. The Manorathapūraṇī explains that they are called trainee’s powers because they are “the powers of the seven trainees” (sattannaṃ sekhānaṃ balānīti sekhabalāni), and that each is a power because it is not shaken by its opposite.
The List
- Saddhābala - The power of faith: the noble disciple has faith in the Tathāgata’s awakening, in the words itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho… (AN 5.2). It is not shaken by lack of faith (assaddhiye na kampati).
- Hirībala - The power of moral shame (hiri): he is ashamed of bodily, verbal and mental misconduct, and of falling into bad, unwholesome states. It is not shaken by shamelessness (ahirike na kampati).
- Ottappabala - The power of moral dread (ottappa): he dreads bodily, verbal and mental misconduct, and falling into bad, unwholesome states. It is not shaken by lack of dread (anottappe na kampati).
- Vīriyabala - The power of energy: he lives with energy aroused to abandon unwholesome states and take up wholesome ones, firm in exertion, not laying down the burden. It is not shaken by laziness (kosajje na kampati).
- Paññābala - The power of wisdom: he is wise, with the noble, penetrating wisdom into rise and fall that leads to the complete end of suffering. It is not shaken by ignorance (avijjāya na kampati).
Quote
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, sekhabalāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhābalaṃ, hirībalaṃ, ottappabalaṃ, vīriyabalaṃ, paññābalaṃ – imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca sekhabalāni.
“Monks, there are these five strengths of a learner. What are the five? The strength of faith, the strength of conscience, the strength of concern, the strength of energy, and the strength of wisdom—these indeed, monks, are the five strengths of a learner.— Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 5.1, Saṃkhitta Sutta) · TPR
Textual References
- Canonical: Saṃkhitta Sutta (AN 5.1) – The five trainee’s powers in brief. Vitthata Sutta (AN 5.2) – The same five, each defined.
- Canonical: Paṭisambhidāmagga (Paṭis 1748) – A different list: ten trainee’s powers and ten adept’s powers (dasa sekhabalāni, dasa asekhabalāni), from right view to right deliverance (sammādiṭṭhi … sammāvimutti). One who is training in them has a trainee’s power; one who has completed the training has an adept’s power.
- Commentary: Manorathapūraṇī (Mp-v 7) – “The powers of the seven trainees”; each power is so called because it is not shaken by its opposite.