I have translated the full “Vitthāra Sutta (AN 4.162)” that Siebe mentioned above.
You can select the English translation at the Sutta Central site using the top left menu bar. Then you will be able to compare with my translation below:
“Bhikkhus, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Difficult practice with slow progress, difficult practice with fast progress, easy and pleasant practice with slow progress, & easy and pleasant practice with fast progress.
“And which is difficult practice with slow progress? This is the case where a certain individual is by birth of an intensely sensual nature. He easily experiences distress born of passion. OR, he is by birth of an intensely aggressive nature (quick to get angry). He easily experiences distress born of this aggressive nature. OR he is normally of an intensely ignorant nature (slow witted). He easily experiences distress born of delusion (ignorance). The five faculties of his—the faculty of saddha (faith in Dhamma), the faculty of viriya (effort), the faculty of sati (mindfulness), the faculty of samadhi (to get to tranquility), the faculty of panna (wisdom)—are weak. Because of their weakness, he makes only slow progress on the Path, and takes a longer time to get to Nibbana. This is called difficult practice with slow progress.
“And which is difficult practice with fast progress? This is the case where a certain individual is by birth of an intensely sensual nature. He easily experiences distress born of passion. OR, he is by birth of an intensely aggressive nature (quick to get angry). He easily experiences distress born of this aggressive nature. OR he is normally of an intensely ignorant nature (slow witted). He easily experiences distress born of delusion (ignorance). The five faculties of his—the faculty of saddha (faith in Dhamma), the faculty of viriya (effort), the faculty of sati (mindfulness), the faculty of samadhi (to get to tranquility), the faculty of panna (wisdom)—are strong. Because of their strength, he makes fast progress on the Path, and takes a shorter time to get to Nibbana. This is called difficult practice with fast progress.
“And which is comfortable practice with slow progress? This is the case where a certain individual is by birth of not intensely sensual nature. He does not easily experience distress born of passion. OR, he is by birth of not intensely aggressive nature (quick to get angry). He does not easily experience distress born of this aggressive nature. OR he is normally not of an intensely ignorant nature. He does not easily experience distress born of delusion (ignorance). The five faculties of his—the faculty of saddha (faith in Dhamma), the faculty of viriya (effort), the faculty of sati (mindfulness), the faculty of samadhi (to get to tranquility), the faculty of panna (wisdom)—are weak. Because of their weakness, he makes only slow progress on the Path, and takes a longer time to get to Nibbana. This is called comfortable practice with slow progress.
“And which is comfortable practice with fast progress? This is the case where a certain individual is by birth of not intensely sensual nature. He does not easily experience distress born of passion. OR, he is by birth of not intensely aggressive nature (quick to get angry). He does not easily experience distress born of this aggressive nature. OR he is normally not of an intensely ignorant nature. He does not easily experience distress born of delusion (ignorance). The five faculties of his—the faculty of saddha (faith in Dhamma), the faculty of viriya (effort), the faculty of sati (mindfulness), the faculty of samadhi (to get to tranquility), the faculty of panna (wisdom)—are strong. Because of their strength, he makes fast progress on the Path, and takes a shorter time to get to Nibbana. This is called comfortable practice with fast progress.
“These are the four modes of practice.”
My notes:
– One is born with a fixed set of five faculties. This basically depends on one’s progress made in previous births, and also the strength of the kusala kamma that led to this human bhava.
- But one’s response to sense inputs or whether one has an aggressive nature, or whether one is “slow witted” seems to be independent of one’s five faculties.
Therefore, even for someone with “good” five faculties, may have “sensual, aggressive, and slow witted nature” (case 2 above). And someone with “bad” five faculties, may not have “sensual, aggressive, and slow witted nature” (case 3 above).