All the Taints

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 and sees, I tell you, not for one who does not know and does
not
see. For one who knows what and sees what? Appropriate attention and
inappropriate attention. When a monk attends inappropriately, un-arisen
fermentations arise, and arisen fermentations increase. When a monk
attends
appropriately, un-arisen 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 un-arisen fermentation of
sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality increases;
the un-arisen fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of
becoming increases; the un-arisen 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 un-arisen fermentation of
sensuality does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is
abandoned; the un-arisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and
arisen fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the un-arisen 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 un-arisen 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 and
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 and
established, or else he has a view like this: This very self of mine —
the
knower that is sensitive here and there to the ripening of good and
bad
actions — is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal,
not
subject to change, and will endure as long as 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, and death, from
sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. He is not freed, I tell you,
from
suffering and stress.

“The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for
noble ones, is well-versed and disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for
men of integrity, is well-versed and 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 un-arisen fermentation of
sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality increases;
the un-arisen fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of
becoming increases; the un-arisen fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and
the arisen fermentation of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for
attention that he does not attends to.

“And what are the ideas fit for attention that he does attend to?
Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the un-arisen fermentation of
sensuality does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is
abandoned; the un-arisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and the
arisen fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the un-arisen 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, un-arisen 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 and
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, and reptiles; simply for the purpose of covering the
parts of the body that cause shame.

“Reflecting appropriately, he uses alms food, not playfully, nor for
intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification; but simply for
the survival and 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, and live in comfort.’

“Reflecting appropriately, he uses lodging simply to counteract cold,
to
counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind,
sun, and reptiles; simply for protection from the inclemency’s 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, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes,
wind, sun, and reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words and bodily feelings
that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable,
displeasing, and 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, and 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, and 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, and 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 of awakening dependent on seclusion…dispassion…cessation,
resulting in letting go. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor of
awakening…persistence as a factor of awakening…rapture as a
factor of awakening…serenity as a factor of awakening…concentration
as a factor of awakening…equanimity as a factor of 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 and stress.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the
Blessed One’s words.

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