Majjhima Nikaya - Sabbasava Sutta

MN 2
Sabbasava Sutta
All the Fermentations
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M i 6



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said, "Monks, the ending of the fermentations is for one who
knows & sees, I tell you, not for one who does not know & does not see. For one
who knows what & sees what? Appropriate attention & inappropriate attention.
When a monk attends inappropriately, unarisen fermentations arise, and arisen
fermentations increase. When a monk attends appropriately, unarisen
fermentations do not arise, and arisen fermentations are abandoned. There are
fermentations to be abandoned by seeing, those to be abandoned by restraining,
those to be abandoned by using, those to be abandoned by tolerating, those to be
abandoned by avoiding, those to be abandoned by destroying, and those to be
abandoned by developing.
"[1] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing? There is the case
where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble
ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for
men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — does not
discern what ideas are fit for attention or what ideas are unfit for attention.
This being so, he does not attend to ideas fit for attention and attends
[instead] to ideas unfit for attention.
"And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he attends to? Whatever ideas
such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality
arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality increases; the unarisen
fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of becoming
increases; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and the arisen
fermentation of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for attention
that he attends to.
"And what are the ideas fit for attention that he does not attend to? Whatever
ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of
sensuality does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is
abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and
arisen fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of
ignorance does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance is
abandoned. These are the ideas fit for attention that he does not attend to.
Through his attending to ideas unfit for attention and through his not attending
to ideas fit for attention, both unarisen fermentations arise in him, and arisen
fermentations increase.
"This is how he attends inappropriately: 'Was I in the past? Was I not in the
past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been what, what was
I in the past? Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What
shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? Having been what, what
shall I be in the future?' Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate
present: 'Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from?
Where is it bound?'
"As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in
him: The view I have a self arises in him as true & established, or the view I
have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive
self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self...
or the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises in
him as true & established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of
mine — the knower that is sensitive here & there to the ripening of good & bad
actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not
subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity. This is called a
thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of
views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed
run-of-the-mill person is not freed from birth, aging, & death, from sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from
suffering & stress.
"The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for noble ones,
is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for men of
integrity, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma — discerns what ideas
are fit for attention and what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he
does not attend to ideas unfit for attention and attends [instead] to ideas fit
for attention.
"And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he does not attend to? Whatever
ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of
sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality increases;
the unarisen fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of
becoming increases; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and
the arisen fermentation of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for
attention that he does not attend to.
"And what are the ideas fit for attention that he does attend to? Whatever ideas
such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality does
not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is abandoned; the
unarisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and the arisen
fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance
does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance is abandoned.
These are the ideas fit for attention that he does attend to. Through his not
attending to ideas unfit for attention and through his attending to ideas fit
for attention, unarisen fermentations do not arise in him, and arisen
fermentations are abandoned.
"He attends appropriately, This is stress... This is the origination of
stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the
cessation of stress. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are
abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts & practices.
These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing.
"[2] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by restraining? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, dwells restrained with the
restraint of the eye-faculty. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would
arise if he were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty do
not arise for him when he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
eye-faculty.
Reflecting appropriately, he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
ear-faculty...
Reflecting appropriately, he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
nose-faculty...
Reflecting appropriately, he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
tongue-faculty...
Reflecting appropriately, he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
body-faculty...
Reflecting appropriately, he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
intellect-faculty. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he
were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the intellect-faculty do not
arise for him when he dwells restrained with the restraint of the
intellect-faculty. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by
restraining.
"[3] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by using? There is the case
where a monk, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe simply to counteract cold,
to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &
reptiles; simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that cause
shame.
"Reflecting appropriately, he uses almsfood, not playfully, nor for
intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification; but simply for
the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the
support of the holy life, thinking, 'Thus will I destroy old feelings [of
hunger] and not create new feelings [from overeating]. I will maintain myself,
be blameless, & live in comfort.'
"Reflecting appropriately, he uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to
counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &
reptiles; simply for protection from the inclemencies of weather and for the
enjoyment of seclusion.
"Reflecting appropriately, he uses medicinal requisites that are used for curing
the sick simply to counteract any pains of illness that have arisen and for
maximum freedom from disease.
"The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to use
these things [in this way] do not arise for him when he uses them [in this way].
These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by using.
"[4] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He tolerates cold, heat,
hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles;
ill-spoken, unwelcome words & bodily feelings that, when they arise, are
painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to
life. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to
tolerate these things do not arise for him when he tolerates them. These are
called the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating.
"[5] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by avoiding? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, avoids a wild elephant, a wild
horse, a wild bull, a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a bramble patch, a chasm, a
cliff, a cesspool, an open sewer. Reflecting appropriately, he avoids sitting in
the sorts of unsuitable seats, wandering to the sorts of unsuitable habitats,
and associating with the sorts of bad friends that would make his knowledgeable
friends in the holy life suspect him of evil conduct. The fermentations,
vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to avoid these things do not
arise for him when he avoids them. These are called the fermentations to be
abandoned by avoiding.
"[6] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by destroying? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought
of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes it out of
existence.
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty...
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate arisen evil, unskillful mental
qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, & wipes them out of
existence. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not
to destroy these things do not arise for him when he destroys them. These are
called the fermentations to be abandoned by destroying.
"[7] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by developing? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, develops mindfulness as a factor
for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in
letting go. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening...
persistence as a factor for Awakening... rapture as a factor for Awakening...
serenity as a factor for Awakening... concentration as a factor for Awakening...
equanimity as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion...
cessation, resulting in letting go. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that
would arise if he were not to develop these qualities do not arise for him when
he develops them. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by
developing.
"When a monk's fermentations that should be abandoned by seeing have been
abandoned by seeing, his fermentations that should be abandoned by restraining
have been abandoned by restraining, his fermentations that should be abandoned
by using have been abandoned by using, his fermentations that should be
abandoned by tolerating have been abandoned by tolerating, his fermentations
that should be abandoned by avoiding have been abandoned by avoiding, his
fermentations that should be abandoned by destroying have been abandoned by
destroying, his fermentations that should be abandoned by developing have been
abandoned by developing, then he is called a monk who dwells restrained with the
restraint of all the fermentations. He has severed craving, thrown off the
fetters, and — through the right penetration of conceit — has made an end of
suffering & stress."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.