Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
XXI. Kimbila-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XXI Kimbila
Sutta 206
Vinibandha Suttaṃ
Mental Bondage[1]
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these five forms of mental bondage.
What five?
[183] Monks, suppose a monk is not wholly free of passion as regards the lusts,
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving;
monks, whoso is not wholly free of passion as regards the lusts,
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving,
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion.
Where the heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion,
it is the first form of mental bondage.
■
Monks, suppose a monk is not wholly free of passion as regards the body,
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving;
monks, whoso is not wholly free of passion as regards the body,
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving,
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion.
Where the heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion,
it is the second form of mental bondage.
■
Monks, suppose a monk is not wholly free of passion as regards form[2],
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving;
monks, whoso is not wholly free of passion as regards form,
nor free of desire,
nor free of fondness,
nor free of thirst,
nor free of fever,
nor free of craving,
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion.
Where the heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion,
it is the third form of mental bondage.
■
Or, monks, suppose a monk,
after eating as much as his belly will hold,
gives himself over to the ease of bed,
of lying on his back,
of slumber,
monks, whoso, after eating as much as his belly will hold,
gives himself over to the ease of bed,
of lying on his back,
of slumber,
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion.
Where the heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion,
it is the fourth form of mental bondage.
■
Or, monks, suppose a monk,
lives the godly life set on gaining some deva-body, thinking:
"By this virtue,
practice,
austerity,
or godly living
I shall become a deva
or one of a deva's retinue."
Monks, whoso is not wholly free from living the godly life set on gaining some deva-body, thinking:
"By this virtue,
practice,
austerity,
or godly living
I shall become a deva
or one of a deva's retinue,"
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion.
Where the heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
exertion,
it is the fifth form of mental bondage.
Verily, monks, these are the five forms of mental bondage.'
[1] The references for § 205 apply here. [Ed.: Those are (altered for this sutta): D. iii, 237; M. i, 101; A. iv, 460;]
[2] Comy. his own body, but outside forms.
