Sutta on Different types of progress

[Stephen K]

I am looking for a sutta that describes progress along the Path as fourfold: slow and difficult, slow but easy, fast and easy, and fast but difficult. Can anyone help locate this sutta? I tried googling, but couldn't find it. Thanks!

[santa100]

Maybe MN 45? ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html ):

"Monks, there are these four ways of taking on practices. Which four? There is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future."

[Stephen K]

Thank you, but I'm afraid it's not the one I'm looking for.

[daverupa]

Hmm...

"And which is painful practice with slow intuition?...
"And which is painful practice with quick intuition?...
"And which is pleasant practice with slow intuition?...
"And which is pleasant practice with quick intuition?...

...?

[Stephen K]

Hmm...

"And which is painful practice with slow intuition?...
"And which is painful practice with quick intuition?...
"And which is pleasant practice with slow intuition?...
"And which is pleasant practice with quick intuition?...

...?

Thank you. I haven't read this sutta before, and it appears very close in meaning to the one I'm looking for, but still I think it's not it. The sutta was saying that the practice of the Path for some is "easy and swift", for others "easy but slow", for still others "difficult but swift", for others "difficult and slow"... something along those lines...

[equilibrium]

I am looking for a sutta that describes progress along the Path as fourfold: slow and difficult, slow but easy, fast and easy, and fast but difficult. Can anyone help locate this sutta? I tried googling, but couldn't find it. Thanks!

"There are four ways of progress, brother Sariputta:

difficult progress, with sluggish direct-knowledge;
difficult progress, with swift direct-knowledge;
easy progress, with sluggish direct-knowledge;
easy progress, with swift direct-knowledge.

Is this it?

[Stephen K]

I am looking for a sutta that describes progress along the Path as fourfold: slow and difficult, slow but easy, fast and easy, and fast but difficult. Can anyone help locate this sutta? I tried googling, but couldn't find it. Thanks!

"There are four ways of progress, brother Sariputta:

difficult progress, with sluggish direct-knowledge;
difficult progress, with swift direct-knowledge;
easy progress, with sluggish direct-knowledge;
easy progress, with swift direct-knowledge.

Is this it?

Yes. That's the one. What's its reference number? Thanks!

[equilibrium]

Yes. That's the one. What's its reference number? Thanks!

It is a book, maybe of interest.
Under part II Maturity of insight: Friendships.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el090.html

[santa100]

AN Book of the Fours has quite a few suttas with similar themes (daverupa's AN 4.162 and equilibrium's AN 4.167 (this one's not on accesstoinsight.org yet)):

http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pit ... ggo-e.html

[Stephen K]

Thank you all!