Sabbāsavasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 2

All the Defilements · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ is stayingviharati in Jeta’s Grovejetavane Anāthapiṇḍika’sanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā monksbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
“monks!” (quote)“bhikkhavo”ti.
“venerable sir” (quote)“Bhadante”ti thosete monksbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“the way to restrain all defilements“sabbāsavasaṁvarapariyāyaṁ to youvo, monksbhikkhave, I will teachdesessāmi.
thatTaṁ listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ in mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speak” (quote)bhāsissāmī”ti.
“yes“Evaṁ, sir” (quote)bhante”ti indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

“Mendicants, I will teach you the explanation of the restraint of all defilements. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“for one knowing“Jānato Iahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, for one seeingpassato of defilementsāsavānaṁ the endingkhayaṁ I sayvadāmi, notno for one not knowingajānato notno for one not seeingapassato.
and whatKiñca, monksbhikkhave, for one knowingjānato and whatkiñca for one seeingpassato of defilementsāsavānaṁ the endingkhayaṁ I sayvadāmi?
rationalYoniso andca attentionmanasikāraṁ irrationalayoniso andca attentionmanasikāraṁ.
irrationallyAyoniso, monksbhikkhave, for one attendingmanasikaroto unarisenanuppannā and alsoceva defilementsāsavā ariseuppajjanti, arisenuppannā andca defilementsāsavā growpavaḍḍhanti;
rationallyyoniso andca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, for one attendingmanasikaroto unarisenanuppannā and alsoceva defilementsāsavā notna ariseuppajjanti, arisenuppannā andca defilementsāsavā are given uppahīyanti.

“Mendicants, I say that the ending of defilements is for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know or see. For one who knows and sees what? Rational application of mind and irrational application of mind. When you apply the mind irrationally, defilements arise, and once arisen they grow. When you apply the mind rationally, defilements don’t arise, and those that have already arisen are given up.

there areAtthi, monksbhikkhave, defilementsāsavā by seeingdassanā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by restraintsaṁvarā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by usingpaṭisevanā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by enduringadhivāsanā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by avoidingparivajjanā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by dispellingvinodanā to be given uppahātabbā, there areatthi defilementsāsavā by developingbhāvanā to be given uppahātabbā.

Some defilements should be given up by seeing, some by restraint, some by using, some by enduring, some by avoiding, some by dispelling, and some by developing.

defilements given up by seeingDassanāpahātabbaāsava

1. Defilements Given Up by Seeing

whichKatame andca, monksbhikkhave, defilementsāsavā by seeingdassanā to be given uppahātabbā?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, unlearnedassutavā ordinary personputhujjano of the noble onesariyānaṁ not a seeradassāvī in the noble ones' teachingariyadhammassa unskilledakovido in the noble ones' teachingariyadhamme untrainedavinīto, of true personssappurisānaṁ not a seeradassāvī in the true persons' teachingsappurisadhammassa unskilledakovido in the true persons' teachingsappurisadhamme untrainedavinīto—
to be attended tomanasikaraṇīye thingsdhamme does not understandnappajānāti, not to be attended toamanasikaraṇīye thingsdhamme does not understandnappajānāti.
heSo to be attended tomanasikaraṇīye thingsdhamme not understandingappajānanto not to be attended toamanasikaraṇīye thingsdhamme not understandingappajānanto, whichye thingsdhammā notna to be attended tomanasikaraṇīyā, thosete thingsdhamme in mindmanasi applieskaroti, whichye thingsdhammā to be attended tomanasikaraṇīyā thosete thingsdhamme notna in mindmanasi applieskaroti.

And what are the defilements that should be given up by seeing? Take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don’t understand to which things they should apply the mind and to which things they should not apply the mind. So they apply the mind to things they shouldn’t and don’t apply the mind to things they should.

And what are the things to which they apply the mind but should not? They are the things that, when the mind is applied to them, give rise to unarisen defilements and make arisen defilements grow: the defilements of sensual desire, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. These are the things to which they apply the mind but should not. And what are the things to which they do not apply the mind but should? They are the things that, when the mind is applied to them, do not give rise to unarisen defilements and give up arisen defilements: the defilements of sensual desire, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. These are the things to which they do not apply the mind but should.

Because of applying the mind to what they should not and not applying the mind to what they should, unarisen defilements arise and arisen defilements grow. This is how they apply the mind irrationally: ‘Did I exist in the past? Did I not exist in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? After being what, what did I become in the past? Will I exist in the future? Will I not exist in the future? What will I be in the future? How will I be in the future? After being what, what will I become in the future?’ Or they are undecided about the present thus: ‘Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? This sentient being—where did it come from? And where will it go?’

for himTassa thusevaṁ irrationallyayoniso for one attendingmanasikaroto of sixchannaṁ viewsdiṭṭhīnaṁ one or anotheraññatarā viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati.
‘there is‘Atthi myme a self’ (quote)attā’ti orvā for himassa as truesaccato as realthetato viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati;
‘there is not‘natthi myme a self’ (quote)attā’ti orvā for himassa as truesaccato as realthetato viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati;
‘by the self‘attanāva the selfattānaṁ I perceive’ (quote)sañjānāmī’ti orvā for himassa as truesaccato as realthetato viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati;
‘by the self‘attanāva the not-selfanattānaṁ I perceive’ (quote)sañjānāmī’ti orvā for himassa as truesaccato as realthetato viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati;
‘by the not-self‘anattanāva the selfattānaṁ I perceive’ (quote)sañjānāmī’ti orvā for himassa as truesaccato as realthetato viewdiṭṭhi arisesuppajjati;
or elseatha orvā rather for himpanassa thusevaṁ viewdiṭṭhi ishoti:
‘which‘yo myme thisayaṁ selfattā the speakervado the experiencervedeyyo heretatra and theretatra of good and badkalyāṇapāpakānaṁ deedskammānaṁ the resultvipākaṁ experiencespaṭisaṁvedeti thatso indeedkho butpana myme thisayaṁ selfattā permanentnicco everlastingdhuvo eternalsassato not subject to changeavipariṇāmadhammo forever and eversassatisamaṁ just sotatheva will remain’ (quote)ṭhassatī’ti.
thisIdaṁ is calledvuccati, monksbhikkhave, a misconceptiondiṭṭhigataṁ the thicket of viewsdiṭṭhigahanaṁ the desert of viewsdiṭṭhikantāraṁ the twist of viewsdiṭṭhivisūkaṁ the dodge of viewsdiṭṭhivipphanditaṁ the fetter of viewsdiṭṭhisaṁyojanaṁ.
fettered by the fetter of viewsDiṭṭhisaṁyojanasaṁyutto, monksbhikkhave, unlearnedassutavā ordinary personputhujjano notna is freedparimuccati from birthjātiyā from old agejarāya from deathmaraṇena from sorrowssokehi from lamentationsparidevehi from painsdukkhehi from sadnessdomanassehi from distressupāyāsehi;
‘not‘na is freedparimuccati from suffering’ (quote)dukkhasmā’ti I sayvadāmi.

When they apply the mind irrationally in this way, one of the following six views arises in them and is taken as a genuine fact. The view: ‘My self survives.’ The view: ‘My self does not survive.’ The view: ‘I perceive the self with the self.’ The view: ‘I perceive what is not-self with the self.’ The view: ‘I perceive the self with what is not-self.’ Or they have such a view: ‘This self of mine is he, the one who speaks, the one who knows, who experiences the results of good and bad deeds in all the different realms. This self is permanent, everlasting, eternal, and imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’ This is called a misconception, the thicket of views, the desert of views, the twist of views, the dodge of views, the fetter of views. An unlearned ordinary person who is fettered by views is not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

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