All the Defilements: Sabbasava Sutra (MN 2)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson (eds.) based on original Burma Piṭaka Association translation, Sabbasava Sutra: Discourse on All the Defilements (MN 2), Wisdom Quarterly

14. Thus have I heard: Once the Blessed One (the Bhagāva = the Buddha [Note 1]) was residing at Jetavana in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery in Sāvatthi. At that time the Blessed One addressed the monastics saying, "Meditators!" They replied, "Venerable sir!" Then he said:

"Meditators, I shall expound a discourse on the restraint of all defilements (āsavas) [2]. Listen well, pay keen attention, and I shall speak."

"Very well, venerable sir!" they replied. And he delivered this discourse:

15. "Meditators, I declare the extinction of all the defilements in one who knows-and-sees [3] and not in one who does not know and not see. Meditators, what is known and seen by one in whom I declare the extinction of defilements? The answer is the correct perception of phenomena [4] and the wrong perception of phenomena.

"Meditators, in one who has wrong perception of phenomena, there arise defilements that have not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of defilements that have already arisen. Meditators, in one who has the correct perception of phenomena there is no arising of defilements that have not yet arisen, and defilements that have already arisen are also removed.

16. "Meditators, there are defilements that should be removed through vision [5], defilements that should be removed through restraint, defilements that should be removed through proper use [of the monastic requisites], defilements that should be removed through forbearance [forgiveness, letting go, khanti], defilements that should be removed through avoidance, defilements that should be removed through rejection, and defilements that should be removed through cultivation [of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment].

Defilements removed through vision

17. "Meditators, what are the defilements that should be removed through vision? Meditators, in the world the ordinary uninstructed worldling [6] who is not in the habit of seeing [7] the noble ones [8], who is not proficient in the Dharma of the noble ones, and who is not trained and disciplined [9] in the Dharma of the noble oness, who is not in the habit of seeing the virtuous [10], who is not proficient in the Dharma of the virtuous, and who is not trained and disciplined in the Dharma of the virtuous does not know the factors [11] that should be considered with great attention and the factors that should not. Not discriminating the factors that should be considered with great attention from the factors that should not, one attentively considers the factors that should not be considered and neglects to attentively consider the factors that should be considered.

"What are the factors that are attentively considered although they should not be?

"Meditators, in one who attentively considers certain factors [that should not be considered], there arises the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure [12] that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has already arisen. There arises the defilement of hankering after eternal existence [13] that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has already arisen. There arises the defilement of ignorance [14] that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of ignorance that has already arisen. These are the factors that are attentively considered [by an ordinary uninstructed worldling] though they should not be considered.

"What are the factors that are not considered with great attention although they should be considered?

"Meditators, in one who attentively considers certain factors [that should be considered], there does not arise the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has already arisen is also removed. There does not arise the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has already arisen is also removed. There does not arise the defilement of ignorance that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of ignorance that has already arisen is also removed. These are the factors that are not attentively considered [by an uninstructed ordinary worldling] though they should be considered.

"Because such a person attentively considers the factors that should not be considered and does not attentively consider the factors that should be considered, there arise in one defilements that have not yet arisen and there increase in one defilements that have already arisen.

18. "That person improperly considers thus:

• 'Did I exist in the past?
• Did I not exist in the past?
• Who was I in the past?
• How was I in the past? [15]
• In the past, who had I been, and who was I [in the subsequent rebirth]?
• Will I exist in the future?
• Will I not exist in the future?
• Who will I be in the future?
• How will I be in the future?
• In the future, having been who, who will I be?'

"Also as regards the present, uncertainty arises in one thus:

• 'Do I exist?
• Do I not exist?
• Who am I?
• How am I?
• From where has this soul come?
• Where will this soul go?'

19. "In a person who improperly considers thus there arises one of these six [wrong] views:

1. The view 'I have a self' [16] arises in one really and firmly;
2. or the view 'I have no self' arises in one really and firmly;
3. or the view 'I perceive self through self' arises really and firmly;
4. or the view 'I perceive non-self [17] through self' arises really and firmly;
5. or the view 'I perceive self through non-self' arises really and firmly;
6. or one holds the view thus: 'That self of mine speaks, knows, and experiences the results of wholesome and unwholesome karma (actions) [18]. That self of mine is permanent, stable, durable, incorruptible, and will be eternal like all permanent things.'

"Meditators, this false belief is called a wrong view, a thicket of views, a desert of views, a bramble of views, an agitation of views, and a fetter of views. Meditators, the uninstructed ordinary worldling who is bound up with the fetter of views cannot escape rebirth, aging, death, grief, lamentation, pain, disappointment, and despair. I declare that one cannot escape dukkha [19].

20. "Meditators, the instructed noble (ariya) disciple, who sees the noble ones, who is skilled in their Dharma, and who is trained and disciplined in their Dharma, who sees the virtuous, who is skilled in their Dharma, and who is trained and disciplined in their Dharma, knows the factors that should be considered with great attention and the factors that should not be considered. Discriminating the factors that should be attentivley considered from the factors that should not be considered, one does not attentively consider the factors that should not be considered and considers attentively the factors that should be considered.

"Meditators, what are the factors that are not attentively considered as they should not be considered?

"Meditators, in one who attentively considers certain factors [that should not be considered], there arises the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has already arisen. There arises the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has already arisen. There arises the defilement of ignorance that has not yet arisen, and there is also an increase of the defilement of ignorance that has already arisen. These are the factors that are not considered attentively [by the noble disciple] as they should not be considered.

"What are the factors that are considered attentively as they should be considered?

"Meditators, in one who attentively considers certain factors [that should be considered], there does not arise the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of craving for sense-pleasure that has already arisen is also removed. There does not arise the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of hankering after eternal existence that has already arisen is also removed. There does not arise the defilement of ignorance that has not yet arisen, and the defilement of ignorance that has already arisen is also removed. These are the factors that are attentively considered [by the noble disciple] as they should be considered.

"Because such a person does not attentively consider the factors that should not be considered and attentively considers the factors that should be considered, there do not arise in one defilements that have not yet arisen, and the defilements that have already arisen disappear.

21. "One properly considers, 'This is dukkha (disappointment, suffering, pain); this is the cause of it; this is the cessation of it; this is the practice leading to the cessation of it.' In one who thus considers properly, the following three fetters disappear, namely, the illusion of self [20], uncertainty [21], and the belief in the efficacy of mere rites and rituals[22] to bring about enlightenment. These are called the defilements that should be removed through vision.

Defilements removed through restraint

22. "Meditators, what are the defilements that should be removed through restraint? [23]

"Meditators, in this Teaching (Dharma) [24] the meditator, reflecting properly, abides in the restraint of the faculty of sight. Defilements and other destructive and burning defilements may arise in the meditator who does not abide in the restraint of the faculty of sight with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning defilements do not arise in the meditator who abides in the restraint of the faculty of sight [25] with proper reflection. Reflecting properly, the meditator

• abides in the restraint of the faculty of hearing...
• abides in the restraint of the faculty of smell...
• abides in the restraint of the faculty of taste...
• abides in the restraint of the faculty of touch...
• abides in the restraint of the faculty of thought.

"Defilements and other destructive and burning defilements may arise in the meditator who does not abide in the restraint of the faculty of thought with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning defilements do not arise in the meditator who abides in the restraint of the faculty of thought with proper reflection.

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning defilements may arise in the meditator who does not abide in the restraint of the faculties with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning defilements do not arise in the meditator who abides in the restraint of the faculties with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through restraint.

Defilements removed through proper use [of requisites]

23. "Meditators, what are the defilements that are to be removed through proper use [of requisites]? [26]

"Meditators, in this Teaching, the meditator wears monastic robes reflecting properly. One wears the robes (clothes) only for protection from cold, heat, gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, heat of the sun, snakes, scorpions, lice, and to cover up nakedness.

"Reflecting properly, one consumes food. One does so not for enjoyment, not for vanity, not for plumping the body, not for a comely complexion, but only to sustain this physical body, to have just enough nourishment for maintaining life, to appease hunger, so as to carry out the noble practice of purification. [One reflects thus:] 'By this food, I'll remove the existing discomfort [27] and shall prevent the arising of new discomfort [28]. I shall have just enough nourishment to maintain life and to lead a blameless life with good health.'

"Reflecting properly, one makes use of living space. One does so only for protection from cold, heat, gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, heat of the sun, snakes, scorpions, lice, inclement weather, and for the purpose of meditative seclusion.

"Reflecting properly, one makes use of medicine and medicinal requisites for curing illness. One uses them only to remove oppressive ailments that arise and only to be completely free from [further] ailments.

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning effluents may arise in the meditator who does not use these Four Requisites with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning effluents do not arise in the meditator who makes use of the Four Requisites with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through proper use [of requisites].

Defilements removed through forbearance

24. "Meditators, what are the defilements that are to be removed through forbearance?

"Meditators, in this Teaching, the meditator, reflecting properly, can endure cold, heat, hunger, thirst, gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, heat of the sun, snakes, scorpions, and lice. One can endure ill-spoken and unwholesome words. One has the nature of being able to endure severe, cruel, excruciatingly sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant, deadly, and painful sensations that arise in the body.

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning effluents may arise in the meditator who cannot endure such painful sensations. Those defilements and other destructive and burning effluents do not arise in the meditator who endures such painful sensations with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through forbearance.

Defilements removed through avoidance

25. "Meditators, what are the defilements that are to be removed through avoidance?

"Meditators, in this Teaching, the meditator, reflecting properly, avoids a fierce elephant, a fierce horse, a fierce ox, a fierce dog, a snake, a tree stump, a thorny place, an abyss, a precipice, a refuse-pit, and a cesspool. If a meditator dwells in such an improper place, resorts to such an improper resort, and keeps company with unskillful friends, that person's wise fellow-meditators would suspect that meditator of being involved in unskillful circumstances. Reflecting properly, one avoids improper places, improper resorts, and unskillful friends.

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning effluents may arise in the meditator who does not avoid such improprieties with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning effluewnts do not arise in the meditator who avoids such improprieties with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through avoidance.

Defilements removed through rejection

26. "Meditators, what are the defilements that are to be removed through rejection [29]?

"Meditators, in this Teaching, the meditator, reflecting properly, does not tolerate, but instead forsakes, rejects, gets rid of, and prevents the repeated arising of

• arisen sensual thoughts [30]...
• arisen thoughts of malice [31]...
• arisen thoughts of injuring another [32];

"does not tolerate, but instead forsakes, rejects, gets rid of, and prevents the repeated arising of unskillful and demeritorious thoughts whenever they arise.

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning effluents may arise in the meditator who does not reject such demeritorious thoughts with proper reflection. Those defilements and other destructive and burning effluents do not arise in the meditator who rejects such demeritorious thoughts with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through rejection.

Defilements removed through cultivation [of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment]

27. "Meditators, what are the defilements that are to be removed through cultivation?

"Meditators, in this Teaching, the meditator, reflecting properly,

• (1) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of mindfulness [33] that is directed at detachment [34] from defilements, freedom from clinging [35], cessation [36] of defilements, and that promotes and develops the uprooting of defilements and the quick attainment of nirvana [37].

"Reflecting properly, one

• (2) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of keen investigation of phenomena [38]...
• (3) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of effort [39]...
• (4) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of rapture [40]...
• (5) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of serenity [41]...
• (6) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of concentration [42]...
• (7) cultivates the enlightenment-factor of equanimity [43]

"that is directed to detachment from defilements, freedom from clinging, cessation of defilements, and that promotes and develops the uprooting of defilements, and quick attainment of nirvana [44].

"Meditators, defilements and other destructive and burning effluents may arise in the meditator who does not cultivate these Seven Factors of Enlightenment. Those defilements and other destructive and burning effluents do not arise in the meditator who cultivates them with proper reflection. Meditators, these are called the defilements that are to be removed through cultivation.

28. "Meditators, if a meditator has removed through vision the defilements that should be removed through vision, has removed through restraint the defilements that should be removed through restraint, has removed through proper use of requisites the defilements that should be removed through proper use of requisites, has removed through forbearance the defilements that should be removed through forbearance, has removed through avoidance the defilements that should be removed through avoidance, has removed through rejection the defilements that should be removed through rejection, has removed through cultivation the defilements that should be removed through cultivation, that person is said to be one who abides in the restraint of all the defilements.

"That person has cut off craving, shaken off the fetters, and having become fully aware of [the nature of] self-conceit [45] has made an end of all suffering."

This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the meditators rejoiced at his words.

NOTES

1. Bhagāva: "Blessed One, Exalted One," Sanskrit bhagwan.
2. Āsavas: defilements that befuddle the mind: They are like liquor long fermented. They convey the idea of something flowing out that intoxicates or biases the mind. These effluents, whehter inflows or outflows or both, are usually classified into four categories: (I) kāmāsava or gross attachment to and craving for the five sense-objects; (II) bhavāsava or craving for eternal existence, particularly in superior worlds beyond the Sensual Sphere in the Fine-Material (rūpa) and Immaterial Sphere (arūpa). which are two of the three divisions of the 31 Planes of Existence, in the mistaken belief that they can be permanent abodes, stable, constant, and everlasting. This craving occurs together with sassata diṭṭhi (the wrong view or belief in eternalism); (III) avijjāsava or the defilement of ignorance or delusion, namely, not comprehending the Four Ennobling (Enlightening) Truths through path-insight; (IV) diṭṭhāsava or the defilement that is holding wrong views, false beliefs at odds with reality. In this sutra, however, the last is not mentioned. It may be taken as part of bhavāsava. Although the defilements or āsavas are variously classified, they are basically only lobha (greed, craving), diṭṭhi (views), and moha (ignorance, delusion, or bewilderment).
3. By "one who knows-and-sees" is meant one who knows-and-sees with right perception of phenomena (dhamma, things such as the Five Aggregates clung to as self). With the use of this expression and on the basis of what is meant by knowing-and-seeing, the Buddha refers to the person (who knows-and-sees). This sutra is a discourse taught with reference to the person and not the Dharma. [What is briefly said in this paragraph (¶15) is that the one who knows-and-sees with right perception of phenomena is able to get rid of the defilements while the defilements proliferate, for the one who does not know-and-see with right perception of phenomena.]
4. Right perception of phenomena: yoniso-manasikāra: lit., wise reflection, proper attention, proper consideration. Correct perception of phenomena means perceiving all phenomena as impermanent, disappointing, and impersonal.
5. Vision: the perception or glimpsing of nirvana (nibbāna) by means of path-knowledge of stream-entry (sotāpatti magga).
6. "The uninstructed ordinary worldling" means one who has not heard the Buddha's Teachings, the path to freedom, this Dharma, the unique teachings characteristic of a fully enlightened teacher that lead out of greed, hatred/fear, delusion and therefore away from all unskillful karma (action) therefore away from all suffering. Such a worldling has not studied, has not enquired into, and has not learned, comprehended, or penetrated the historical Buddha's message (as preserved in the Pāḷi texts) concerning the Five Aggregates clung to as self (khandha), āyatana, etc., and who has not achieved through practice the things (dhammas) that should achieved for the sake of gaining freedom and making an end of all suffering, which come about through enlightenment/wisdom and nirvana/liberation.
7. Who is not in the habit of seeing: What is meant here is seeing by means of the eye of wisdom and not seeing by means of the physical eyes, seeing by means of the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu), the mind's eye, the third eye.
8. The Buddha, pacceka buddhas, and disciples of the Buddha who have attained any of the four supramundane "paths" (maggas) are termed ariyas or the "noble ones."
9. Who is not trained and disciplined: one who has not yet been disciplined in the five kinds of restraint, who has not yet been taught, and who has not yet cultivated the five kinds of removal of the defilements, and who has not yet removed the defilements.
10. By the "virtuous" (sappurisa) is meant the Buddha, pacceka-buddhas, and the noble (ariya) disciples of the Buddha.
11. Factors: dhammas, "things," "phenomena."
12. Kāmāsava: the defilement of craving sense pleasure; sensual desire; a gross attachment to and craving for any of the five sense objects.
13. Bhavāsava: the defilement of hankering after eternal existence; craving for rebirth (continued becoming, rearising, reappearance in the Fine Material (rūpa) or Immaterial (arūpa) Spheres, which are variousl exalted world among the 31 Planes of Existence in the belief that they are permanent, stable, and constant. This craving occurs together with sassata diṭṭhi (the false belief in eternalism);
14. Avijjāsava: the defilement of delusion; the defilement of ignorance (of the Four Ennobling Truths).
15. of what appearance.
16. Atta: "self, ego, soul, personality."
17. Anattā: "not-self, impersonality."
18. in terms of rebirth, destination, and plane of beings.
19. Both of these paragraphs (¶¶18-19) teach at length the attending to of those things (dhammas, phenomena) that are unworthy of attention and the arising of the 16 kinds of doubt or uncertainty (vicikicchā) and of the six kinds of self-vew (atta-diṭṭhi).
20. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi: the view or illusion that there is a permanent self manifestating in relation to the aggregates (khandhas) giving rise to such false beliefs as: "This is me," "This is mine," or "This is myself."
21. Vicikiccā: uncertainty concerning the Buddha, his enlightenment, and so on.
22. Sīlabbataparāmāsa: the wrong view, superstition, or incorrect belief in the efficacy of mere rites and rituals as being able to produce the liberating-insight necessary for awakening/enlightenment as practiced outside a buddha's noble path.
23. Restraint of the sense-faculties: Saṃvara, the prevention through mindfulness of the arising of the defilements.
24. Sāsana: Teaching, dispensation (i.e., the Buddha's Dharma or Dhamma).
25. Faculty of sight: literally, the eye-faculty (actually not the eye but the sensitive material within the eye that is capable of receiving the stimuli approprate toit; so with all six sense faculties.
26. Proper use: using the Four Requisites of a Buddhist monastic with due reflection. What is taught here is the mode of using the Four Requisites in such a manner that the arising of the defilements is inhibited.
27. Existing (lit., "old") discomfort: i.e., hunger.
28. New discomfort: from immoderate eating, over consumption, gluttony, excess.
29. Rejection: vinodana, dispelling with effort such arising thoughts (vitakkas) as kāmavittaka. It does not mean total eradication through a path (magga) moment.
30. Sensual thoughts: kāmavittaka.
31. Thoughts of malice: byāpādavittaka.
32. Thoughts of injuring another: vihiṃsāvittaka (ahimsa).
33. The enlightenment-factor of mindfulness: sati sambojjhaṅga.
34. Detachment, letting go, nonclinging: viveka.
35. Freedom from attachment: virāga.
36. Cessation: nirodha.
37. Vossagga.
38. Dhammavicaya sambojjhaṅga.
39. Vīriya sambojjhaṅga.
40. Pīti sambojjhaṅga.
41. Passaddhi sambojjhaṅga.
42. Samādhi sambojjhaṅga.
43. Upekkhā sambojjhaṅga.
44. The most crucial point in ¶27 is the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Catu Satipaṭṭhānas) or Fourfold Setting Up of Mindfulness. It is the one and only or the one direct way for the attainment of paths and fruits (maggas and phalas) and also for the realization of nirvana. As a matter of fact, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Satta Bojjhaṅgas) cannot take place without the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas).
45. When a yogī (meditator) practices the satipaṭṭhānas, one will achieve, first of all, mental concentration. When it becomes sufficiently strong (even to the point of absorption of the various jhanas), one will achieve, stage by stage, 13 vipassanā ñāṇas (insight knowledges), which will enable him to perceive the true nature of mind and body before one achieves the supramundane paths (maggas).
46. The bojjhaṅgas are the "factors of enlightenment" which one must have while passing through these 13 insight-knowledges.
47. Sati means "mindfulness," bare awareness, vigilance, conscientiouslness, dispassionate observation, disinterested (unbiased) looking on, nonreactive knowing; awareness free of grasaping and aversion. Dhamma-vicaya means "mindfulness of nāma (mind) and rūpa (body)" and their appearance and disappearance. Vīriya (like virility) means "energy," "effort," "diligence," "enthusiasm," "persistence," "resilience." Pīti means "rapture, joy, bliss, effervescence, zest," the emotion of joyfulness. Passadhi means "calm composure." Samādhi means "coherence of mind," "mental unidistractedness," "mental concentratedness," not "concentrating" but natural one-pointedness of mind, which is a temporary purification. Upekkhā means equanimity.
48. Briefly speaking, in the course of the practice of the four kinds of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas), if one knows one has the "factors of enlightenment" (bojjhaṅgas) then one has them and knows one does not have them when they disappear, and if one knows why one has them when one has them and why one does not have them when one has lost them, one is deemed to be a person who is endowed with these Seven Factors of Enlightenment. And the Buddha taught that such a person is one who will pass through the insight-knowledges (vipassanā ñāṇas) and speedily achieve the supramundane paths (maggas).
49. 45. Conceit: māna (persistent or reflexive self-view; habitually conceiving of things as if there were a self).

See also: AN 4.24; AN 5.140