[419] What five dhammas should be directly known? The five bases of liberation (vimuttāyatana).
Here, friends, the Teacher, or a certain companion in the spiritual life (sabrahmacārī) standing in the position of a teacher, teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu. In whatever way, friends, the Teacher, or a certain companion in the spiritual life standing in the position of a teacher, teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhu, in just that way the bhikkhu experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma in that teaching. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness (pāmojja) is born in him; in one who is gladdened, rapture (pīti) is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; in one who is happy, the mind (citta) becomes concentrated. This is the first base of liberation.
Again, friends, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the spiritual life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhu; but he himself teaches the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it. In whatever way, friends, the bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, in just that way he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma in that teaching. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born in him; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; in one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This is the second base of liberation.
Again, friends, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the spiritual life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhu, nor does he teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it; but he recites the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it. In whatever way, friends, the bhikkhu recites the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it, in just that way he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma in that teaching. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born in him; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; in one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This is the third base of liberation.
Again, friends, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the spiritual life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhu, nor does he teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he recite the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it; but he thinks over and ponders in his heart the Dhamma as he has heard it and learned it, and examines it with the mind. In whatever way, friends, the bhikkhu thinks over and ponders in his heart the Dhamma as he has heard it and learned it, and examines it with the mind, in just that way he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma in that teaching. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born in him; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; in one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This is the fourth base of liberation.
Again, friends, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the spiritual life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhu, nor does he teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he recite the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he think over and ponder in his heart the Dhamma as he has heard it and learned it, or examine it with the mind; but a certain sign of concentration (samādhinimitta) has been well grasped by him, well attended to, well borne in mind, well penetrated with wisdom. In whatever way, friends, a certain sign of concentration has been well grasped by the bhikkhu, well attended to, well borne in mind, well penetrated with wisdom, in just that way he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma in that teaching. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born in him; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; in one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This is the fifth base of liberation.
These five dhammas should be directly known.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.