AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.14 Restraint

Numbered Discourses 4.14 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.14

2. Walking – 2. Caravagga

AN 4.14 Restraint – Saṁvarasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, there are these four efforts.

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, padhānāni.

1.2

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

1.3

The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

Saṁvarappadhānaṁ, pahānappadhānaṁ, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

1.4

And what, bhikkhū, is the effort to restrain?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ?

1.5

When a bhikkhu sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī.

1.6

If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.

Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati, rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ, cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

1.7

When they hear a sound with their ears …

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …

1.8

When they smell an odor with their nose …

ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …

1.9

When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …

1.10

When they feel a touch with their body …

kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …

1.11

When they know a thought with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī,

1.12

If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.

yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati, rakkhati manindriyaṁ, manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

1.13

This is called the effort to restrain.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ.

2.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the effort to give up?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ?

2.2

It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t tolerate a sensual,

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti;

2.3

malicious,

uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe…

2.4

or cruel thought that’s arisen, but gives it up, gets rid of it, eliminates it, and obliterates it.

uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ …pe…

2.5

They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them.

uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

2.6

This is called the effort to give up.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ.

3.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the effort to develop?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ?

3.2

It’s when a bhikkhu develops the awakening factors of mindfulness,

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ,

3.3

investigation of dhamma,

dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …

3.4

energy,

vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …

3.5

rapture,

pītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …

3.6

tranquility,

passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …

3.7

samādhi,

samādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …

3.8

and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.

3.9

This is called the effort to develop.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ.

4.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the effort to preserve?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ?

4.2

It’s when a bhikkhu preserves a meditation subject that’s a fine foundation of samādhi: the perception of a skeleton, a worm-infested corpse, a livid corpse, a split open corpse, or a bloated corpse.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ bhaddakaṁ samādhinimittaṁ anurakkhati aṭṭhikasaññaṁ puḷavakasaññaṁ vinīlakasaññaṁ vicchiddakasaññaṁ uddhumātakasaññaṁ.

4.3

This is called the effort to preserve.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

4.4

These are the four efforts.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri padhānānīti.

5.1

Restraint and giving up,

Saṁvaro ca pahānañca,

5.2

development and preservation:

bhāvanā anurakkhaṇā;

5.3

these are the four efforts

Ete padhānā cattāro,

5.4

taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.

desitādiccabandhunā;

5.5

Any bhikkhu who keenly applies these

Yehi bhikkhu idhātāpī,

5.6

may attain the ending of suffering.”

khayaṁ dukkhassa pāpuṇe”ti.

5.7

Catutthaṁ.