“Mendicants, there are eight causes and reasons that lead to acquiring the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life, and to its increase, growth, and full development once it has been acquired. What eight?

5. They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically. This is the fifth cause.


8. They meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form [feeling, perception, choices, consciousness] such is the origin of form [feeling, perception, choices, consciousness], such is the ending of form [feeling, perception, choices, consciousness]. This is the eighth cause.

Partial excerpts from AN 8.2 Paññāsutta: Wisdom