What to overcome for enlightenment (sutra)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Ven. Thanissaro (orig. trans.) Sabbasava Sutra: "All of the Corruptions" (MN 2); see also Burma Pitaka Association

Sid, I can't really think of much to tell them but forgiveness. - Jay, that's good, but I can think of lots of things they need to know in addition. ("Saintly Young Men" manga/Geraldford)

 

Marion Cotillard in Tokyo

Thus have I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, in Anathapindika's vihara. There he addressed the monastics: "Meditators!"

"Yes, venerable sir," the monastics replied.

The Blessed One said, "Meditators, the ending of the corruptions (four asavas*) is for one who knows and sees, I say, not for one who neither knows nor sees. But for one who knows what and sees what? For one who knows and see appropriate attention and inappropriate attention.

• *Corruptions: (āsava, literally "influxes" or "outflows"), cankers, taints, intoxicating biases, what Ven. Thanissaro colorfully translates as "fermentations." There is a list of four (as in DN 16, Pts.M., Vibh.):

1. the canker of sensual craving (kāma-āsava)
2. (craving for eternal) existence (bhava-āsava)
3. (wrong) views (dittha-āsava)
4. ignorance (avijja-āsava)

A list of three, omitting the canker of views, is possibly older and is more frequent in the sutras, e.g. in M.2, M.9, D.33; A.III.59, 67; A.VI.63). In the Vibhanga (Khuddakavatthu Vibh.) both the threefold and fourfold division are mentioned. The fourfold division also occurs under the name of "floods" (ogha) and "yokes" (yoga). The stages of enlightenment eradicate them: Through the path of stream-entry, the canker of views is destroyed; through the path of non-returning, the canker of craving or sense-desire; through the path of arhatship (full enlightenment), the cankers of becoming and ignorance). This sutra (MN 2) shows how to overcome the cankers, namely, through insight, sense-control, avoidance, wise use of the necessities of life, and so on. For a commentarial exposition, see Atthasālini Tr. I, p. 63f: II, pp. 475ff. Khīnāsava, "one whose cankers are destroyed or removed," or "one who is canker-free," is a name for the arhat or enlightened one. The state of full enlightenment is frequently called āsavakkhaya, "the destruction of the cankers." Sutras concluding with the attainment of arhatship by the listeners often end with the words: "During this utterance, the hearts of the listeners were freed from the cankers through no longer clinging" (anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimuccimsū'ti).
 
"When a meditator attends inappropriately, unarisen corruptions arise, and arisen corruptions increase. When a meditator attends appropriately, unarisen corruptions do not arise, and arisen corruptions are abandoned.

"There are corruptions to be abandoned by:

1. seeing
2. restraining
3. using
4. tolerating
5. avoiding
6. dispelling
7. and those to be abandoned by developing.

If Buddhism could be condensed down

[1] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by seeing? In one case an uninstructed, ignorant worldling (an average, ordinary person) -- who has no regard for noble ones (enlightened persons), who is not well-versed or disciplined in the Dharma (Teaching or Path they adhere to), who has no regard for people of integrity, who is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dharma -- does not discern what ideas are fit for attention or unfit for attention. This being so, that uninstructed, ignorant worldling does not attend to ideas fit for attention and instead attends to ideas unfit for attention.
 
"Now what are unfit for attention that one nevertheless attends to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality increase, unarisen corruptions of becoming arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming increase, unarisen corruptions of ignorance arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance increase -- these are the ideas unfit for attention that one nevertheless attends to [to one's great detriment, remaining unenlightened, un-free, in bondage, a slave (to Mara/Yama), subject again and again to miserable rebirths].

• [NOTE: In the past Buddhism has come under considerable criticism for being a tautology, that the Buddha's teaching in the old sutras are tautological -- inanely saying something like "bad is bad" and "good is good" so "don't do what should not be done" and "do what should be done." This would be true except for the fact that in practice the details are all spelled out elsewhere. Each sutra, while referring to them, does not repeat them. Every technical term the Buddha uses is thoroughly defined, and those who practice and are hearing these discourses at that time -- or who hears them because they are being repeated in a monastic context -- knows what they are. Therefore, rather than thinking nothing is being said, the correct view is that a great deal is being said in a compact way during the sutra. The commentaries (such as the Abhidharma) and subcommentaries (tika) as well as the expositions (vibhanga). Buddhaghosa's The Path of Purification is a dense manual explicitly stating and overstating the details. How ponderous the sutras would be and difficult to memorize and recite if they repeated every detail every time. It is better that they are compact -- so long as one know to go in search of the details referred to. Otherwise, they will often seem tautological. The Dharma as we have it is very dense and it needs to be unpacked. People judge it superficially and when they fail to look for the unpacking, they tend to insert their own definitions and wrong assumptions.]

"Now what are the ideas fit for attention that one does not attend to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality do not arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of becoming do not arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of ignorance do not arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance are abandoned -- these are the ideas fit for attention that one does not attend to. Through attending to ideas unfit for attention and not attending to ideas fit for attention, both unarisen corruptions arise, and arisen corruptions increase.
 
The past

The Buddha in a Western museum -- from a paranormal photo or the artist's imagination?

  
"This is how one 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 one is inwardly perplexed about the present:

• 'Am I?'
• 'Am I not?'
• 'What am I?'
• 'How am I?'
• 'Where has this being come from?'
• 'Where is it bound?'

Wrong views: SELF

It is because of ignorant wrong views that we are reborn and suffer. Solution? Right views.

.

"As one attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises:

1. The view I have a self arises as true and established [think of Descartes great error], or
2. the view I have no self... or
3. the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or
4. the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self... or
5. the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises as true and established, or else one has
6. a view like this: This very self of mine -- the knower who is aware here and there of the ripening of skillful and unskillful actions (karma) -- is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity. 

This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a perversion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed, ignorant worldling is not freed from birth, aging, [illness] and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. One is not freed, I say, from disappointment and suffering.

 

"The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones -- who has regard for noble ones [enlightened, liberated ones], is well-versed and disciplined in their Dharma, who has regard for people of integrity, is well-versed and disciplined in their Dharma -- discerns what ideas are fit for attention and unfit for attention. This being so, one does not attend to ideas unfit for attention and instead attends to ideas fit for attention. 

"Now what are the ideas unfit for attention that one does not attend to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality increase, unarisen corruptions of becoming arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming increase, unarisen corruptions of ignorance arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance increase -- these are the ideas unfit for attention that one  does not attend to.
 
"Now what are the ideas fit for attention that one attends to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality do not arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of becoming do not arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of ignorance do not arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance are abandoned -- these are the ideas fit for attention that one attends to. Through not attending to ideas unfit for attention and through attending to ideas fit for attention, unarisen corruptions do not arise, and arisen corruptions are abandoned.
 
How will one become enlightened?

This is how singer Alicia Keys meditates even while being famous, rich, and distracted.

 
"One attends appropriately:

1. This is suffering (disappointment, unsatisfactoriness, woe, ill)... 
2. This is the origination of suffering...
3. This is the cessation of suffering...
4. This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. 

"As one attends appropriately in this way [note that these are, in fact, the Four Noble Truths, the four ennobling truths that lead to enlightenment by their penetration], three fetters are abandoned:

1. identity-view
2. doubt
3. clinging to mere rules and rituals (grasping at vows and practices) as if they in and of themselves could ever produce enlightenment].

"These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by seeing.

[2] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by restraining?

"In another case a meditator, reflecting appropriately, dwells restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty do not arise when one dwells restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty.
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the ear-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the nose-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the tongue-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the [tactile] body-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. And the defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty do not arise when one dwells restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by restraining.
 
[3] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by using? There is another case where a medtitator, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe [clothing] simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that could cause shame.
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one uses food, not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival and continuation of this body, for putting an end to its afflictions [making food be medicine], for the support of the high life [that leads to enlightenment and nirvana or liberation from suffering], thinking:

"'Thus will I put an end to old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [that are the result of overeating]. I will maintain myself, while remaining blameless, and live in comfort.'
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, simply for protection from inclement weather and for the enjoyment of seclusion [withdrawal for the sake of intensive practice and rapid success].

"Reflecting appropriately, one uses medicines [as a category of permissible requisites for survival] that are used for curing the sick simply to counteract illnesses that have arisen and for maximum freedom from disease.
 
"The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to use these things [in this way] do not arise when one uses them [in this way]. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by using.

[4] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by tolerating? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, endures. One tolerates cold, heat, hunger, and thirst, the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, ill-spoken, unwelcome words and bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to tolerate these things do not arise when one tolerates them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by tolerating.

[5] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by avoiding? There is another case where a meditator, 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, an open sewer. Reflecting appropriately, one avoids sitting in unsuitable seats, wandering to unsuitable places, and associating with bad friends [see the Advice to Sigala Sutra for definition of "bad friends"] that would cause knowledgeable friends [kalyana-mittas, "noble friends" who inspire practice of the Dharma] in the high life suspect one of unwholesome conduct. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to avoid these things do not arise when one avoids them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by avoiding.
 
[6] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by dispelling? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality. One abandons it, dispels it, and wipes it out of existence.

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty...

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate arisen harmful, unskillful mental qualities. One abandons them, dispels them, and wipes them out of existence. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to dispel these things do not arise when one dispels them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by dispelling.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment
[7] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by developing? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, develops:

1. mindfulness as a factor of enlightenment dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go.
2. One develops keen investigation of phenomena as a factor of enlightenment... 
3. persistence (energy) as a factor of enlightenment...
4. rapture (piti, bliss, joy) as a factor of enlightenment...
5. serenity as a factor of enlightenment...
6. concentration (collectedness, mental integration) as a factor of enlightenment...
7. equanimity as a factor of enlightenment dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go.

The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to develop these qualities do not arise when one develops them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by developing.

 

"When a meditator's corruptions that should be

• abandoned by seeing have been abandoned by seeing, 
• abandoned by restraining have been abandoned by restraining
• abandoned by using have been abandoned by using
• abandoned by tolerating have been abandoned by tolerating
• abandoned by avoiding have been abandoned by avoiding
• abandoned by dispelling have been abandoned by dispelling
• abandoned by developing have been abandoned by developing

then one is called a meditator who dwells restrained with the restraint of all the corruptions. One has severed craving, thrown off the bonds (fetters), and -- through the right penetration of conceit -- has made an end of [all] disappointment and suffering."

 

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the medtiators delighted in the Blessed One's words.

• See another translation of this sutra
• Further reading at AN 4.24, AN 5.140