Madhyama Āgama Sutta 10: The Discourse on the Destruction of the Taints (III)

How are the taints to be abandoned by guarding? Monks, when the eye sees a form, guarding the eye faculty is done through right thought, the contemplation of impurity. Not guarding the eye faculty is done through wrong thought, the contemplation of purity. If one does not guard it, then distress and fever arise; if one guards it, distress and fever do not arise. Similarly, for the ear hearing a sound, the nose smelling an odor, the tongue tasting a flavor, the body feeling a tangible, and the mind cognizing a mental object\: guarding the mind faculty is done through right thought, the contemplation of impurity. Not guarding the mind faculty is done through wrong thought, the contemplation of purity. If one does not guard it, then distress and fever arise; if one guards it, distress and fever do not arise. This is called the abandoning of the taints by guarding.

How are the taints to be abandoned by avoiding? Monks, if you see an evil elephant, you should avoid it. Evil horses, evil cattle, evil dogs, poisonous snakes, dangerous paths, ditches, pits, hidden latrines, rivers, deep springs, mountain crags, evil companions, evil friends, evil adherents of other paths, evil neighborhoods, evil dwellings—if any Brahma-farer dwells together with them, people who had no doubts will become doubtful—monks should avoid them. Evil companions, evil friends, evil adherents of other paths, evil neighborhoods, evil dwellings—if any Brahma-farer dwells together with them, people who had no doubts will become doubtful—you should entirely avoid them. If you do not avoid them, then distress and fever arise; if you avoid them, distress and fever do not arise. This is called the abandoning of the taints by avoiding.

How are the taints to be abandoned by using? Monks, when using robes, it is not for the sake of profit, not out of arrogance, not for adornment, but only for warding off mosquitoes and gnats, wind and sun, cold and heat, and out of a sense of modesty. When using food, it is not for the sake of profit, not out of arrogance, not for physical beauty or enjoyment, but only for the sake of sustaining this body, for warding off distress and fever, for the sake of the Brahma-faring, so that old afflictions may cease and new afflictions may not arise, for the sake of abiding comfortably and free from illness. When using lodgings, beds, bedding, and seats, it is not for the sake of profit, not out of arrogance, not for adornment, but only for the sake of relieving weariness and gaining rest, for the sake of quiet seclusion. When using medicines and tonics, it is not for the sake of profit, not out of arrogance, not for physical beauty or enjoyment, but only for the sake of warding off illness and affliction, for sustaining the life faculty, for the sake of abiding comfortably and free from illness. If one does not use these things, then distress and fever arise; if one uses them, distress and fever do not arise. This is called the abandoning of the taints by using.