Greatest blessings - Part 3

Here in Part 3, we turn to the remaining blessings, starting with ...

28. Being easy to admonish

This blessing is explained in the commentary as the quality of being easy to address, speak to, and advise: in short, a person who can be corrected and is also receptive to correction. Implied within this quality are tolerance of constructive criticism or feedback directed at oneself, courtesy towards the one giving advice, and gratitude for being corrected. However, an important point to remember is that this refers to constructive feedback or criticism, not remarks based on anger, jealousy or delusion. When speech is imbued with such negative qualities, then one should be wise about whether to engage or part ways.

The commentary explains that a person who is gentle and receptive when corrected has the opportunity to learn the Dhamma. This is in contrast to someone described as “difficult to speak to,” where strong māna stands in the way of progress. When that sense of ego is poked, such a person may react in unwholesome ways: by lying or making excuses, by retreating into sullen or passive silence, or by deflecting the fault onto the adviser—either by pointing out their shortcomings or by advertising one’s own virtues. People who respond in these ways are hard to train, difficult for others to live or practise with, and, most importantly, unable to grow in any meaningful way. As my teacher often says, “We must grow up, not just grow old.”

Because of this, one is encouraged to examine oneself honestly: when corrected, do we listen and reflect, or do we become defensive and closed? The presence of sovacassatā is a genuine blessing as it keeps the mind open and teachable.

29. Seeing monastics

Although this blessing is translated simply as “seeing monastics”, it does not mean merely encountering monks, nuns, or the Saṅgha in an ordinary way. It points to three connected aspects: (i) having the wish to meet holy persons who practise and teach the Dhamma; (ii) making genuine efforts to show respect—whether by offering alms, attending to their needs, or using their presence as an opportunity to practise the Dhamma; and (iii) allowing their company to inspire faith, diligence, and wholesome aspiration.

The commentary explains that when one encounters a bhikkhu, the appropriate response is respect, expressed according to one’s means. If one is able to offer something, one does so within one’s capacity. If not, one may pay homage through prostration. If even that is not possible, raising the hands in reverence is sufficient. And if that too is not possible, one can at least regard them with a calm, joyful, and respectful mind. Even such simple acts, the commentary notes, carry great benefit when they arise from faith and goodwill. This is why the suttas even praise animals who, through sincere faith on merely seeing ascetics, are said to have gained fortunate results and realisation of Dhamma in their future existences.

In this blessing, then, “seeing” means meeting monastics with respect, reverence, and humility in body, speech, and mind. It does not depend on wealth or elaborate gestures; even a brief moment of sincere reverence, expressed in whatever way one can, is meaningful and powerful.

30. Timely discussion of the Dhamma

Timeliness is emphasised in this blessing because opportunities to speak with wise and experienced teachers or monastics do not arise often. When such moments do appear, they should not be taken lightly. Even if it causes personal inconvenience or clashes with other responsibilities, one should make the effort not to miss them, because the value of such encounters far outweighs temporary concerns.

Discussion of the Dhamma also has a specific meaning. Vinaya specialists discuss the Vinaya; those trained in Abhidhamma discuss the Abhidhamma; commentators discuss the commentaries. It also refers to engaging in Dhamma discussion at the right moment, especially when the mind is weighed down by sloth, unsettled by restlessness, or troubled by doubt. At such times, listening to or discussing the Dhamma helps to clear the mind and cultivate wholesome states again.

Because timely discussion leads to clearer understanding, confidence in the teachings, and greater familiarity with the Dhamma, it is called a blessing. It sharpens wisdom, supports practice, and ensures that learning happens when it is most needed and most effective.

31. Self-restraint

Self-restraint (Pāḷi: tapo) literally means “burning,” in the sense of burning away unwholesome states such as covetousness, restlessness, and discontent. In this respect, it refers to restraint of the sense faculties: guarding the eyes, ears, mind, etc. so that sensual desire or irritation do not easily take hold. In another sense, it means burning away laziness and slackness, and here it points to energy and effort in practice. It also refers to the kind of effort put in to 'burn up' the defilements.

The commentary states that one who possesses this quality is described as ardent: someone who applies themselves wholeheartedly to what is wholesome. This ardour is called a blessing because it supports the abandoning of unwholesome states and becomes a direct condition for the arising of deep concentration, including jhāna, as well as many other wholesome qualities that lead the mind towards clarity and freedom.

Moreover, for diligent practitioners, self-restraint can be cultivated wisely as a practical tool for daily reflection to weaken harmful habits. It helps one to pause and consider which activities to engage in throughout the day. With self-restraint guided by wisdom, one can reflect: “Is this action in line with my practice?”, “Is this suitable for someone who wishes to develop concentration and insight?”, or “Is this appropriate for one who has chosen to follow this path and lineage?”. Through such reflections, restraint grows stronger and one begins to let go of actions that once felt habitual or harmless but no longer support the practice. In this way, self-restraint is a conscious and gradual refinement of conduct that strengthens meditation and deepens insight, not a forced or harmful suppression.

32. Holy life

Holy life (brahmacariya), while encompassing the whole range of Dhamma practice, places particular emphasis on moral purity. It specifically highlights restraint from sexual conduct — especially for monastics and for lay practitioners who undertake the eight precept — as an essential discipline of the ascetic life, the Buddha’s teaching, and the Path itself. Thus, in statements such as “Having abandoned unholy conduct, he lives the holy life,” brahmacariya is used in the sense of abstinence from all forms of sexual activity.

Sensual desire (or craving) in general is a major cause of prolonged suffering but sexual desire, being a concentrated and especially compelling form of sensuality, readily becomes a condition for the growth of further defilements and suffering. For this reason, the Buddha laid down practical methods for restraining it: first through virtue (sīla), which sets clear boundaries for conduct, and more deeply through concentration and insight, which weaken such desires at its root.

For lay followers, sexual activity is guided by the third of the five precepts, which sets clear boundaries that protect both oneself and others. For monastics, however, complete sexual abstinence is required and must be observed without exception. Lay practitioners may also choose to undertake full sexual abstinence by taking the eight precepts, either temporarily or for longer periods, when they feel ready and wish to deepen their practice. Although worldly life does not always make this discipline easy, it does not make it impossible. Many people, endowed with strong self-control and a sincere aspiration for meditative development, are able to maintain such restraint even while carrying out their daily duties and responsibilities—though this requires a stronger degree of sense restraint.

33. Seeing the Noble Truths

Seeing the Noble Truths does not mean simply knowing about them or being able to explain them. It refers to directly seeing and penetrating the Four Noble Truths, which are the central pillars of the Buddha's Teachings, for oneself. “Seeing” means the arising of the Noble Path (magga-ñāṇa), through which the Four Noble Truths are penetrated directly and simultaneously. At that moment, one does not merely understand suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path as ideas or memory; one sees them as they truly are. This seeing is immediate, experiential, and irreversible at that level as one transitions to the lineage of Noble Ones (Ariya). It is called a blessing because it marks the point at which one begins to move beyond the endless round of suffering in saṃsāra.

There is an important difference between understanding the Noble Truths intellectually and realising them directly. Intellectual knowledge that is gained through study, reflection, or hearing the Dhamma helps us understand the structure and meaning of the teachings. But at this stage, the truths are still concepts. They remain at the level of relative understanding and have not yet done the work of freeing the mind and seeing the ultimate Nibbāna. Realisation, on the other hand, occurs when the truths are seen directly and unmistakably through systematic practice.

34. Realisation of Nibbāna

Nibbāna-sacchikiriyā, the realisation of Nibbāna, refers to the direct attainment of the final goal of the Buddha’s teaching through Arahantship Path and Fruition. The direct attainment of this freedom, as well as the subsequent reviewing of it with clear knowledge, is what is meant by realisation.

Nibbāna is freedom in the fullest sense: freedom from craving, from greed, hatred, and delusion, and from the constant ups and downs of conditioned existence. It is described as a state of complete safety, deep peace, and unsurpassed clarity. Nibbāna is often misunderstood as a place, realm, or state where something continues to exist forever. This confusion usually comes from expressions found in the texts, such as “the unconditioned,” “going to Nibbāna,” “seeing Nibbāna,” or “the Deathless.” These expressions, however, are not meant literally. They are ways of pointing to an experience that cannot be easily described in ordinary language. The word Nibbāna itself explains this clearly. "Ni" means extinguished, and "vāna" means craving. Taken together, Nibbāna means the complete extinguishing of craving and the ending of all clinging. It is not a place one goes to, but the cessation of the very forces, which are "ignorance" and "caving", that keep the round of suffering going.

Because Nibbāna is beyond ordinary experience and beyond all conditioned phenomena, it cannot be captured fully in words. For this reason, the Buddha often spoke about it indirectly, using negations, metaphors or simple images, rather than long explanations. It is something that must be directly known through Path and Fruition Knowledge, not merely understood conceptually, and cannot be understood in such a way. As such, Nibbāna can only be known through proper practice, and the attainment of Fruition, sometimes described as “entering Fruition,” refers to the mind taking Nibbāna itself as its object. In that attainment, the mind rests in profound peace and stillness, free from craving and disturbance, and directly experiencing the freedom that Nibbāna represents.

The realisation of Nibbāna requires firm determination and sustained effort in the right direction. It is not something reached by wishing or hoping, but by patiently and steadily uprooting the deep causes of suffering: greed, hatred, and delusion, all of which are rooted in ignorance with vipassanā. These forces bind beings to repeated birth and death, and only when they are fully weakened and finally ended does genuine freedom appear. It also cannot be reached with half-hearted effort. One cannot, in one moment, wish for liberation and, in the next, be completely absorbed in and delighted by worldly pleasures. At certain points in the practice, real growth requires clear prioritisation. One has to ask oneself honestly what matters more at that time: ordinary worldly success and accomplishments, or realising the Noble Truths. The two pull the mind in different directions as they are fundamentally different and cannot be fully grasped at the same time. Wanting a high-paying job, status, and comfort while also expecting to realise sotāpanna without adjustment is unrealistic.

At every stage of the path, if one truly aspires to progress, some degree of renunciation is necessary. Renunciation does not mean abandoning life and fortune, but learning to loosen one’s grip on habits, ambitions, possessions, worldly objectives and pleasures that continually reinforce craving and distraction. Even an ordinary person aspiring to the First Path must be willing to give up certain indulgences and priorities. By gradually letting go, greed, hatred, and delusion are weakened enough for effort and wisdom to mature and lead towards stream-entry. The same principle applies at higher stages as well. Each step forward requires a deeper willingness to choose the Path over comfort, clarity over distraction, and liberation over continual "becoming".

Although the blessing "Nibbāna-sacchikiriyā"—the realisation of Nibbāna—ultimately points to full liberation through Arahantship, even a true glimpse of it somewhat fulfils this blessing in an important way. A sotāpanna, one who has entered the stream leading to Nibbāna, has already seen it directly, even though the journey is not yet complete. The full clarity and thorough review of their achievements and accomplishments fulfill this blessing to an extent as well.

The phrase “realisation of Nibbāna” matters because it emphasises that this freedom comes from one’s own effort, steady perseverance, practising in the right direction, disciplined practice, renunciation, and the gradual growth of wisdom. It is not earned through mere thoughts, prayers and aspirations. In that sense, Nibbāna is truly earned as the result of giving oneself fully to the Noble Eightfold Path. Realisation of Nibbāna is indeed a blessing because it signifies the end of suffering achieved through one’s own wisdom and practice.

35. A mind which does not waver when touched by worldly conditions

"Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi, cittaṃ yassa na kampati": “A mind which does not waver when touched by worldly conditions” means that when life brings gain or loss, praise or blame, comfort or discomfort, the mind remains steady. Even when these eight worldly conditions (loka-dhamma) press in strongly, the mind does not tremble, swing back and forth, or lose its balance. This unwavering stability is considered a blessing because it signifies a mind that has achieved an incredibly unsurpassable freedom.

But whose mind can truly remain like this? According to the teachings, it is only the mind of an Arahant—one whose defilements have been completely ended through the full eradication of lobha, dosa, and moha, the toxins that bind the mind. Such a person is no longer pushed around by experiences, whether pleasant or unpleasant.

As the Buddha said:

"Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the wind,

So forms, tastes, sounds, smells, and touches — all of them —

Whether agreeable or disagreeable, do not disturb the wise one;

His mind stands firm, fully liberated, and he observes their passing away.” (Soṇakoḷivisavatthu)

When gain, praise, or comfort arise, lobha easily takes over, showing itself as attachment, pride, excitement, or complacency. When loss, blame, or discomfort appear, dosa quickly surfaces as irritation, resentment, anger, or discouragement. Underlying both of these is moha, which is always present. Moha blinds us to what is really happening, and makes us take experiences personally, treating them as “mine,” and react as though our worth, identity, or safety depends on them. It also makes us forget the long sweep of saṃsāra, as if we have never encountered gain or loss, pleasure or pain before, or as if certain kinds of suffering are happening to us alone. At times, it even leads us to cling to suffering itself and finding as a sense of uniqueness in it, replaying and identifying with it repeatedly, rather than seeing it clearly and letting it pass. Because of such delusion, the mind swings sharply between elation and dejection, confidence and collapse, indulgence and aversion.

As long as these roots remain active, the eight worldly conditions continue to pull the mind around. Only when lobha, dosa, and moha are weakened and eventually uprooted does the mind begin to stay balanced and equanimous, responding wisely rather than reacting. This freedom from being shaken by the ups and downs of life is one of the highest blessings mentioned later in the Maṅgala Sutta. When the mind is no longer driven by lobha, dosa, and moha, gain and loss, praise and blame, comfort and discomfort lose their power to disturb. Such a mind remains steady, clear, and at peace, regardless of circumstances.

This is called an ultimate blessing because it marks the end of inner vulnerability—the kind of weak and unguarded mind that keeps us trapped in repeated suffering. When the mind is weak, it easily gives in to the pull of the defilements, and each time it does so, suffering follows again and again. These defilements pretend to be friends, promising comfort, pleasure, or relief, but in truth they work against us, and quietly exhaust and torment the mind. When their influence is finally broken, the mind is no longer deceived, no longer pushed around, and real safety is realised.

For that reason, one becomes...

36, 37, 38: Sorrowless, stainless, secured

When all defilements have been completely eliminated, the mind is endowed with the qualities of asoka (sorrowless), viraja (unstained by passion), and khema (secure and at ease). These describe the inner state of an Arahant—one who is fully liberated. Such a mind abides in calm and clarity, free from the storms of craving and the constant pull of worry. The ups and downs of life no longer unsettle it. The eight worldly conditions lose their grip entirely.

Think of the countless times we are touched by these conditions, when lobha, dosa, and moha—whether never experienced before or arising again in familiar ways—spring up, how unsettling, consuming, exhausting and wretched they are. However, it is no longer the same for Arahants. Gain and loss, praise and blame, comfort and discomfort still come and go, but the Arahant's mind remains steady. They see conditions and results unfolding as they are and remains untouched by them—free and liberated at all times. Such a mental state is the highest blessing of all.

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38 Blessings Summarised:

The commentary provides insight into these blessings for a cohesive understanding. The teaching unfolds in a gradual and very practical way.

Those who truly wish for happiness—whether in this life, the next, or beyond the world—begin by avoiding foolish company and relying on the wise. They show respect to those worthy of respect, choose supportive places to live, and are naturally inclined towards wholesome actions because of good deeds done in the past. In this way, they establish themselves on a firm foundation.

They develop learning, skills, and discipline, and speak in ways that reflect good conduct and livelihood. While living the household life, they repay gratitude by caring for their parents, create new merit by supporting their spouse and children, and maintain their livelihood without confusion or harm. By practising generosity and living in line with the Dhamma, they use their wealth wisely and work for the welfare of relatives and others through blameless actions.

By avoiding evil, they refrain from harming others. By abstaining from intoxicants, they protect themselves. Through heedfulness in wholesome qualities, they continue to grow what is skilful and wise. As these wholesome qualities mature, even those who leave household life behind and take up renunciation continue their training with respect and humility towards the Buddha, his disciples, their teachers, wise associates and preceptors.

Through contentment, they let go of excessive craving for material things. Through gratitude, they remain grounded among good people. By listening to the Dhamma, they clear mental dullness; through patience, they endure difficulties; by being easy to correct, they remain supported in their training. By associating with monastics and wise teachers, they learn from living examples of practice, and through discussion of the Dhamma, they remove doubt and confusion.

With sense restraint, they purify virtue. Through the holy life of discipline, they purify the mind. Step by step, they complete the remaining purifications. As practice matures, they reach knowledge and vision by directly seeing the Noble Truths and realise Nibbāna, understood here as the Fruit of Arahantship. And having realised it, their minds are no longer shaken by gain and loss, praise and blame, comfort and discomfort—just as Mount Sineru is unmoved by storms. They become sorrowless, unstained, and secure.

Being secure, they are undefeated everywhere. And being undefeated everywhere, they go safely wherever they go. Therefore the Blessed One said:

“Having done such things, undefeated everywhere,

They go safely everywhere —

That is their highest blessing.”

“Having done these things” just means having practised and lived them out, not merely knowing or reading about them. Whether in this life or the next (for non-Arahants), in whatever situation they find themselves—standing, walking, or going about daily life—they move through the world without fear or inner disturbance. The troubles that come from unwise associations and unwholesome choices no longer arise for them. They can live on with ease, security, and freedom.

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In closing, the Maṅgala Sutta offers guidance that speaks to everyone—householders and renunciants, beginners and long-time practitioners alike. Each blessing is called “the highest” not because they are all the same, but because each one fits perfectly at a particular stage of life and practice. Whenever you feel uncertain, stuck, or unsure about what to do next, it can be helpful to return to this sutta. Reflect on what you have already developed, what still needs work, and which qualities are most relevant for you right now. It provides a reliable compass for both daily life and spiritual growth.

Ultimately, though, our practice needs to keep pointing in one direction: towards liberation, the realisation of Nibbāna—the highest and most noble goal of all. The Maṅgala Sutta also carefully lays the foundations that lead towards this freedom, step by step.

With that in mind, and as the final post of 2025, may you all make steady progress on the path and realise liberation in this very lifetime.

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The 38 Blessings (Maṅgala)

The Maṅgala Sutta presents the blessings as a progressive journey, moving from basic foundations for a good life, through responsible living in the world, into spiritual cultivation, and finally to complete freedom.

I. Preparation: Establishing a Firm Foundation (Maṅgala 1–10)

These blessings prepare the ground for a wholesome and stable life.

1–5. Laying the Right Foundation

• Avoiding foolish people

• Associating with the wise

• Honouring those worthy of honour

• Living in a suitable place

• Having done meritorious deeds in the past

6. Right Direction in Life

• Setting oneself on the right course

7–10. Training Oneself Well

• Much learning

• Skill in one’s work

• Discipline

• Well-spoken speech

II. Living Responsibly in the World (Maṅgala 11–26)

These blessings guide one through household life, social duties, and personal protection.

11–13. Basic Responsibilities

• Supporting one’s parents

• Caring for spouse and children

• Having an orderly livelihood

14–17. Social and Moral Conduct

• Generosity

• Living according to the Dhamma

• Caring for relatives

• Blameless actions

18–20. Protecting Oneself

• Avoiding evil

• Refraining from intoxicants

• Diligence in wholesome qualities

21. Safeguarding One’s Progress

• Non-negligence

22–26. Cultivating Higher Qualities

• Reverence

• Humility

• Contentment

• Gratitude

• Timely listening to the Dhamma

III. Inner Development (Maṅgala 27–34)

These blessings deepen the practice and move beyond ordinary worldly concerns.

27–28. Spiritual Readiness

• Patience

• Being easy to correct

29–30. Contact with the Holy Life

• Seeing ascetics

• Discussing the Dhamma

31–34. Walking the Path

• Self-restraint

• Living the holy life

• Seeing the Noble Truths

• Realising Nibbāna

IV. The Conclusion of Life (Maṅgala 35–38)

These final blessings describe the state of complete liberation.

35–38. The Highest Good

• A mind unshaken by worldly conditions

• Sorrowless

• Unstained

• Secure

Such a person is:

• Undefeated everywhere

• Safe wherever they go

(adapted from Life’s Highest Blessings: The Mahā Maṅgala Sutta by Dr. R. L. Soni. Translation and commentary revised by Bhikkhu Khantipālo.)