Aṇguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
VII. Satipaṭṭhāna Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
IX. The Book of the Nines
Chapter VII: The Arisings of Mindfulness
Sutta 72
Vinibandha Sati-Paṭṭhāna Suttaṃ
Mental Bondage
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these five forms of mental bondage.[1]
What five?
Monks, herein a monk as regards the lusts
is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving.
Whoso is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Where the heart does not so incline,
it is the first mental bondage.
■
So, too, when a monk as regards the body
is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving.
Whoso is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Where the heart does not so incline,
it is the second mental bondage.
■
So, too, when a monk as regards shapes
is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving.
Whoso is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Where the heart does not so incline,
it is the third mental bondage.
■
So, too, when a monk if,
after eating as much as his belly can hold,
he give himself over to the ease of bed,
of (lying on his) back,[2]
of slumber
is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving.
Whoso is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Where the heart does not so incline,
it is the fourth mental bondage.
■
So, too, when a monk if he live the godly life
set on gaining some celestial body,
thinking by virtue,
practice,
austerity
or chastity
to become a deva,
or one of the retinue of a deva,
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Whoso is not completely free of passion,
nor of desire,
nor of fondness,
nor of thirst,
nor of fever,
nor of craving
his heart inclines not to ardour,
devotion,
perseverance,
nor to exertion.
Where the heart does not so incline,
it is the fifth mental bondage.
Monks, these are the five forms of mental bondage.
§
Throughout this chapter Hare has this as "When these five ... then;" but it should be "To let go of these five ... the four should be made to become." Some of the preceding clauses cannot be let go prior to establishing the Satipaṭṭhānas.
— p.p.
Monks, when these five are put away,
four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.
What four?
Monks, herein a monk abides contemplating the body as body,
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.
■
He abides contemplating the feelings as feelings
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.
■
He abides contemplating the mind as mind
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.
■
He abides contemplating ideas as ideas
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.
Monks, when these five are put away,
these four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.
[1] Vinibandha. D. iii, 238; M. i, 101; A. iii, 249; v, 17.
[2] Reading pāssa with the text; cf. above, p. 226.
