Adhiṭṭhāna
has been translated as "decision," "resolution," "self-determination," "will", "strong determination" and "resolute determination." In the late canonical literature of Theravāda Buddhism, is one of the ten "perfections", exemplified by the bodhisatta's resolve to become fully awakened.
While adhiṭṭhāna appears sporadically in the early Pāli Canon, various late-canonical and post-canonical accounts of the Gautama Buddha's past lives contextualize adhiṭṭhāna within the Theravādin ten perfections.
In the Pāli Canon, in the Dīgha Nikāya discourse entitled, "Chanting Together", Sāriputta states that the Buddha identified the following:
In the late-canonical Buddhavaṃsa, the bodhisatta Sumedha declares :
Temiya the Wise
In the late-canonical Cariyāpiṭaka, there is one account explicitly exemplifying, that of "Temiya the Wise". In this account, at an early age Temiya, sole heir to a throne, recalls a past life in purgatory and thus asks for release. In response, a compassionate advises Temiya to act unintelligent and foolish and to allow himself to be an object of people's scorn. Understanding the 's virtuous intent, Temiya agrees to this and acts as if mute, deaf, and crippled. Seeing these behaviors but finding no physiological basis for them, priests, generals and countrymen decry Temiya as "inauspicious" and plan to have Temiya cast out. When Temiya is sixteen years old, he is ceremonially anointed and then buried in a pit. The account concludes: