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Majjhima Nikaaya I.
1.2 Sabbaasavasutta.m
(2)- All Desires.
I heard thus:
At one time the Blessed One lived in the monasatery offered by Anaathapindika in
Jetas grove in Saavatthi
There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "O! Bhikkhus, I will teach the
method of restraining the mind from all desires, listen and attend carefully. Bhikkhus, I
declare the restraining of the mind from all desires, knowing and seeing, not without
knowing and seeing.Knowing and seeing what is it: Knowing and seeing with wise attention
and with unwise attention. When attending unwisely non-arisen desires arise and arisen
desires grow.When attending wisely non-arisen desires do not arise and arisen desires
fade. .Bhikkhus, there are desires to be turned out reflecting wisely, there are desires
to be turned out with restraint, there are desires to be turned out by indulging, there
are desires to be turned out by enduring, there are desires to be turned out by avoiding,.
and there are desires to be turned out by dispelling and there are desires to be turned
out by development.
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out reflecting wisely. Here, bhikkhus, the
ordinary man who has not seen Noble Ones and Great Men, not clever and not tamed in their
teaching, does not know the thoughts that should be thought and should not be thought. So
he thinks thoughts that should not be thought and does not think thoughts that should be
thought. Bhikkhus, what thoughts that should not be thought are thought. Those thoughts
that arouse non-arisen sensual desires, and thoughts that develop arisen sensual desires.
Those thoughts that arouse non-arisen desires to be and thoughts that develop
arisen desires to be. Those thoughts that arouse non-arisen desires of
ignorance and thoughts that develop arisen desires of ignorance. These thoughts that
should not be thought are thought.
Bhikkhus, what thoughts, that should be thought are not thought. Those thoughts that do
not arouse non-arisen sensual desires and thoughts that diminish arisen sensual desires.
Those thoughts that do not arouse non-arisen desires to be and thoughts that
diminish arisen desires to be. Those thoughts that do not arouse non-arisen
desires of ignorance and thoughts that diminish arisen desires of ignorance. These
thoughts that should be thought are not thought. Thinking thoughts that should not be
thought and not thinking thoughts that should be thought non-arisen desires arise and
arisen desires develop.
He thinks unwisely in this manner:Was I in the past or wasnt I in the past. Who
was I in the past. How was I in the past. Become who and who was I in the past: Will I be
in the future, or will I not be in the future. What will I be in the future. How will I be
in the future. Become who and who will I be in the future.
Or doubts arise about the self in the present : Am I, or am I not. What am I. How am I
. From where did this being come, where will it go. To whoever thinking unwisely in this
manner, one of these six views arises
To him a view arises perfect and clear, I have a self. Or I have no self. Or with the
self I know the self.. Or with the self I know the no-self. Or with no-self I know the
no-self. Or this view arises to him, This my self which speaks and feels and experiences
the results of good and bad actions done here and there, is permanent and eternal and
would not change. Bhikkhus, this is called the soul view, the thicket of speculations, the
wilderness of speculations, the bond of views O! Bhikkhus, the ordinary man bound by thesa
views is not released from birth, decay, death, sorrow, lament, unpleasantness,
displeasure and distress. Is not released from unpleasantness, I say. .
Bhikkhus, the learned disciple who has seen Noble Ones and Great Men, clever and
trained in their Teaching knows the thoughts that should be thought and knows the thoughts
that should not be thought. He does not think thoughts that should not be thought and
thinks thoughts that should be thought.
What are the thoughts that should not be thought. Those thoughts that arouse non-arisen
sensual desires and develop arisen sensual desires. Those thoughts that arouse non-arisen
desires to be and develop arisen desires to be Those thoughts
that arouse non-arisen desires of ignorance and develop arisen desires of ignorance. These
thoughts should not be thought
What are the thoughts that should be thought. Those thoughts that do not arouse
non-arisen sensual desires and diminish arisen sensual desires. Those thoughts that do not
arouse non-arisen desires to to be and diminish arisen desires to
be. Those thoughts that do not arouse non-arisen desires of ignorance and diminish
arisen desires of ignorance. These thoughts should be thought.
When he does not think thoughts that should not be thought and thinks those that should
be thought non arisen desires do not arise and arisen desires fade.Then he wisely thinks,
this is unpleasant, wisely thinks this is the arising of unpleasantness, wisely thinks
this is the cessation of unpleasantness and wisely thinks this is the path to the
cessation of unpleasantness. When he thinks in this manner three bonds fade away.
The view about a self, doubts, and the bindings of virtues.. Bhikkhus, these are the
desires that should be dispelled by wise thinking.
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out through restraint: Here, the bhikkhu wisely
reflecting abides restrained in the mental faculty of the eye. To one abiding unrestrained
in the mental faculty of the eye would arise desires of distress and burning, to one
restrained they do not arise. The bhikkhu wisely reflecting abides restrained in the
mental faculty of the ear. To one abiding unrestrained in the mental faculty of the ear
would arise desires of distress and burning, to one restrained they do not arise. The
bhikkhu wisely reflecting abides restrained in the mental faculty of the nose. To one
abiding unrestrained in the mental faculty of the nose would arise desires of distress and
burning, to one restrained they do not arise. The bhikkhu wisely reflecting abides
restrained in the mental faculty of the tongue. To one abiding unrestrained in the mental
faculty of the tongue would arise desires of distress and burning, to one restrained they
do not arise. The bhikkhu wisely reflecting abides restrained in the mental faculty of the
body. To one abiding unrestrained in the mental faculty of the body would arise desires of
distress and burning, to one restrained they do not arise. The bhikkhu wisely reflecting
abides restrained in the mental faculty of the mind. To one abiding unrestrained in the
mental faculty of the mind would arise desires of distress and burning, to one restrained
they do not arise. Bhikkhus, to one abiding restrained, desires of distress and burning do
not arise. These are the desires that should be turned out through restraint
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out through indulging. Here the bhikkhu wisely
reflecting uses the robe to ward off cold, heat, the stings of gad flies and yellow flies,
to ward off the heat of the air and the touch of creeping things and for the purpose of
covering the loins out of shame. Wisely reflcting partakes of the morsel food, not for
play, for intoxication or to look beautiful, to support the body, without greed for
tastes, as support to lead the holy life. While partaking the food reflects Giving
up the earlier feelings would not arouse new, may it be for a faultless light living
.Wisely reflecting partakes the dwelling to ward off the cold, heat, the sting of gad
flies and yellow flies, to ward off the burning air, creeping things and to end the
troubles from the seasons and for seclusion..Wisely reflecting partakes requisites when
ill to ward off oppressive feelings. When not using them may arise desires of distress and
burning, using them they would not arise. Bhikkhus, these are the desires that should be
turned out by indulging .
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out by enduring. Here the bhikkhu wisely
reflecting endures cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the sting of gad flies, yellow flies, heat
of the air, the touch of creeping things, the piercing touch of badly enunciated words,
sharp rough piercing bodily feelings and unwelcome, disagreeable feelings that end life.
To one not enduring these may arise desires of burning and distress, to one enduring them
desires do not arise. These are the desires that should be turned out by enduring.
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out by avoiding. Here the bhikkhu, wisely
reflecting avoids rough elephants, horses, bulls, dogs, serpents, uneven thorny roads,
pits, depresssions, pools and village pools. And sitting on unsuitable seats, pasturing on
unsuitable pastures and associating evil friends, these which the wise co-associates in
the holy life denounce, he wisely reflecting should avoid. Bhikkhus, to one not avoiding
these may arise desires of burning and distress, to one avoiding them desires do not
arise.These desires should be turned out by avoiding. . .
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out by dispelling. Here the bhikkhu reflecting
wisely does not entertain arisen sensual thoughts, dispels them, does not let them rise
again. Reflecting wisely does not entertain arisen angry thoughts, dispels them, does not
let them rise again Reflecting wisely does not entertain arisen hurting thoughts, dispels
them, does not let them rise again. Reflecting wisely does not entertain whatever arisen
demeritorious evil thoughts, dispels them, does not let them rise again. Bhikkhus, to one
not dispelling these may arise desires and burning, to one dispelling them desires do not
arise.These desires should be turned out by dispelling.
Bhikkhus, what desires should be turned out by development. Here, the bhikkhu wisely
reflecting develops the enlightenment factor mindfulness based on seclusion, detachment
and cessation and ending in surrender Wisely reflecting develops the enlightenment factor
investigation of the Teaching based on seclusion, detachment and cessation and ending in
surrender. Wisely reflecting develops the enlightenment factor effort based on seclusion,
detachment and cessation and ending in surrender. Wisely reflecting develops the
enlightenment factor joy based on seclusion, detachment and ending in surrender. Wisely
reflecting develops the enlightenment factor tranquillity based on seclusion, detachment
and cessation and ending in surrender. Wisely reflecting develops the enlightenment factor
concentration based on seclusion, detachment and cessation and ending in surrender. And
wisely reflecting develops the enlightenment factor equanimity based on seclusion,
detachment and cessation and ending in surrender. Bhikkhus, to one not developing these
may arise desires of burning and distress, to one developing them these desires do not
arise. These desires should be turned out by development.
Bhikkhus, when the bhikkhu turns out those desires which should be turned out by wise
reflection, turns out those desires that should be turned out by restraint, turns out
those desires that should be turned out by indulging, turns out those desires that should
be turned out by enduring, turns out those desires that should be turned out by avoiding,
turns out those desires that should be turned out by dispelling and turns out those
desires that should be turned out by development, it is said that the bhikkhu abiding
restrained in all desires, has overcome craving , dispensed the bonds, and rightfully
ending measuring made an end of unpleasantness.
The Blessed One said thus and those bhikkhus delighted in the words of the Blessed One.
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