Explanation of the five lower fetters (SN 45.179). Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters ] // [Self-identity view] [Aggregates] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Stream entry] [Once return] [Lay life] [Non-return]
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 53, Excerpt 4
Explanation of the five higher fetters (SN 45.180). Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters ] // [Craving for material existence] [Jhāna] [Craving for immaterial existence] [Formless attainments] [Conceit] [Self-identity view] [Knowing itself] [Restlessness and worry] [Ignorance]
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 53, Excerpt 5
“What is the difference between a fetter and a hindrance?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Fetters ] [Hindrances ] // [Pāli] [Stream entry] [Tranquility] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Stages of awakening] [Saṃsāra]
13. “Is attavādupādāna clinging to sakkāyadiṭṭhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doctrine-of-self clinging] [Self-identity view] // [Fetters] [Stream entry] [Conceit] [Views]
23. “What is the difference between the fetter of self-view and the fetter of ‘I am’?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters] [Self-identity view] [Conceit] // [Aggregates] [Stream entry] [Arahant]
15. “What kind of suffering does a non-returner experience? What makes a non-returner become an arahant?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Non-return ] [Suffering] [Arahant] // [Conceit] [Fetters] [Craving for material existence] [Craving for immaterial existence] [Restlessness and worry]
13. “Can you please explain the fetter of attachment to rites and rituals? How does this relate to the beautiful monastic chanting and other rituals? Does it have applications in lay life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Fetters] [Chanting] [Ceremony/ritual] [Lay life]
1. Comment: MN 64 speaks about the underlying tendencies even in infants, which goes against the idea of getting back to your childlike purity. [Fetters] [Children]
Responses by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo.
4. “The Morning Chanting [in the old Abhayagiri Chanting Book] first translates upādāna as clinging, but when it goes to the various khandhas, the translation is identification. Could you reflect on clinging as identification?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clinging] [Translation] [Aggregates] [Self-identity view] // [Sensual desire] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Doctrine-of-self clinging] [Fetters]
3. “What is the difference between someone who has broken through fetters (self-identity view, etc.) and someone who hasn’t as discussed in SN 22.89?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters] [Self-identity view] [Conceit] [Aggregates] [Similes] // [Perception] [Not-self]
18. “Can you talk about path and fruit in regards to the stages of awakening? What are they? How are they different?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stages of awakening ] // [Insight meditation] [Relinquishment] [Fetters] [Stream entry] [Self-identity view] [Aggregates] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Doubt] [Once return] [Sensual desire] [Ill-will] [Non-return] [Arahant]
13. “What is the difference between a fetter and a hindrance?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Fetters ] [Hindrances ] // [Pāli] [Stream entry] [Tranquility] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Stages of awakening] [Saṃsāra]
3. “Does it mean that these three stages [of awakening] are still shaky? Like they can still go back to thingness?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Stages of awakening] [Arahant] // [Stream entry] [Realms of existence] [Impermanence] [Once return] [Sensual desire] [Ill-will] [Non-return] [Fetters] [Ajahn Chah]
Reference: Śhūrangama Sūtra, Fifty Skandha Demon States.
2. “As the ten fetters start to be cut, can you expect to not get so lost in feelings and thoughts? Does the time you get lost reduce?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Fetters] [Heedlessness] // [Stream entry] [Realms of existence] [Non-return] [Sensual desire] [Ill-will] [Once return] [Fame and disrepute] [Conceit] [Blame and praise] [Craving for material existence] [Craving for immaterial existence]
Reference: Śhūrangama Sūtra, Fifty Skandha Demon States.
3. “I heard somewhere that the Buddha regretted giving the teaching on the Ten Fetters. Is this true?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Fetters] [Buddha/Biography] // [Great disciples] [Rebirth] [Realms of existence]
Sutta: AN 9.12 Sariputta asks the Buddha whether anyone still subject to rebirth is safe from the lower realms.
Sutta: MN 39: Don’t be content with virtue, etc.
4. “When the Buddha addressed AN 7.61 to Mahā Mogallāna, was Mahā Mogallāna already and arahant?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Great disciples] [Arahant] // [Fetters] [Almsround] [Perception of a samaṇa]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Sāriputta meets Assaji and realizes stream entry after hearing a brief verse. [Stream entry]
3. It’s interesting that three of the fetters are named [in MN 2] but the other seven are not named explicitly. Comment by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Fetters] // [Stream entry] [Commentaries]
2. “Is it correct that if the conceit ‘I am’ is penetrated that essentially eliminates the other four fetters?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Fetters] [Conceit]
Sutta: AN 9.3 / Ud 4.1: Meghiya Sutta.
3. “If sakkāyadiṭṭhi is seen or penetrated, then do doubt and the other two follow?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Self-identity view] [Doubt] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Fetters] // [Impermanence] [Great disciples] [Characteristics of existence]
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Kondañño’s knowing (Chanting Book translation).
6. “Can you explain what Ajahn Mahā Boowa means by ‘the essence of a level of being’ in Straight from the Heart by Ajahn Mahā Boowa, p. 228, quoted in The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, p. 158?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Becoming] // [Clinging] [Birth] [Fetters] [Restlessness and worry] [Conceit] [Knowing itself]
4. Explanation of the five lower fetters (SN 45.179). Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters ] // [Self-identity view] [Aggregates] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Stream entry] [Once return] [Lay life] [Non-return]
5. Explanation of the five higher fetters (SN 45.180). Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fetters ] // [Craving for material existence] [Jhāna] [Craving for immaterial existence] [Formless attainments] [Conceit] [Self-identity view] [Knowing itself] [Restlessness and worry] [Ignorance]
7. “You hear about the teachings about the different stages of enlightenment—these fetters going at these stages. When I first heard about it, it was kind of helpful, but it sounded so complicated. Luang Por [Sumedho] would teach that it is here and now, it’s right now, and that was so liberating. ... How can you use this talk of the fetters and different stages in a way that is helpful?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stages of awakening] [Fetters] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Liberation] // [Relinquishment] [Direct experience]
4. “If one cultivates certain pāramis during one’s lifetime, one can lose them in another lifetime?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Perfections] [Rebirth] [Impermanence] // [Aversion] [Clinging] [Fetters] [Stream entry] [Ajahn Chah]
Simile from Ajahn Chah: Tending a plant. [Naturalness] [Similes] [Stages of awakening]