> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# AN 4:131 · Fetters (Saṁyojana Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-131/
- Published: 2026-06-01T02:33:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:35:22.000Z
- Description: Aṅguttara Nikāya · AN 4:131. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Discourse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? A once-returner. In this individual the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? One going upstream to the Peerless \[i.e., a non-returner heading for the Akaniṭṭha heaven, the highest of the Pure Abodes\].[1](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4%5F131.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? One unbound in between \[i.e., one who is destined to unbind after leaving the human realm but before reaching a Pure Abode\]. In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned? An arahant, one whose effluents are ended. In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

Note

1\. According to the Commentary, this category of non-returner first appears spontaneously in any of the first four levels of the five Pure Abodes—among the Aviha (Not Falling Away) devas, the Atappa (Untroubled) devas, the Sudassa (Good-looking) devas, or the Sudassī (Clear-seeing) devas—and then appears spontaneously in progressively higher levels until reaching the highest, the Akaniṭṭha (Peerless) Pure Abode, there to be unbound.

See also: [MN 70](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-70/); [AN 3:88](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-3-88/); [AN 10:13](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-10-13/)

---

*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4%5F131.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*