The Tenth Sutra on the Exhaustion of the Āsravas from the Madhyama Āgama (Part 1)

Original: The World-Honored One addressed the bhikkhus: "It is because of knowing and seeing that the taints are exhausted, not because of not knowing and not seeing. Why is it said that the taints are exhausted because of knowing and seeing? There is right thinking and wrong thinking. When there is wrong thinking, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen arises, and that which has arisen increases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen arise, and that which has arisen increases. When there is right thinking, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen does not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen do not arise, and that which has arisen ceases."

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikkhus: "It is because of knowing and seeing the Dharma that all the taints of defilements can be exhausted; it is not through not knowing and not seeing the Dharma that the taints of defilements can be exhausted. Why is it said that only by knowing and seeing the Dharma can the taints be exhausted? The thinking of sentient beings is distinguished as right thinking and wrong thinking. If sentient beings think wrongly, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand. If sentient beings think rightly, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will not arise, and that which has already arisen will cease; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will not arise, and that which has already arisen will cease."

Original: "However, ordinary foolish people do not get to hear the true Dharma. They do not encounter true spiritual friends. They do not know the noble Dharma. They do not master the noble Dharma. They do not know the true Dharma as it really is. For those who do not think rightly, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen arises, and that which has arisen increases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen arise, and that which has arisen increases. For those who think rightly, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen does not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen do not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. Because they do not know the true Dharma as it really is, they attend to what should not be attended to and do not attend to what should be attended to. Because they attend to what should not be attended to and do not attend to what should be attended to, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen arises, and that which has arisen increases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen arise, and that which has arisen increases."

Explanation: "But ordinary foolish people do not hear the true Dharma, do not encounter true spiritual friends, do not know the Dharma of the noble ones, cannot master the Dharma of the noble ones, do not know the true Dharma, and cannot think rightly and according to principle. For such people, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand. Whereas for those who can think rightly and according to principle, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will not arise, and that which has already arisen will cease; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will not arise again, and that which has already arisen will cease."

"Because sentient beings do not know the true Dharma, they constantly attend to unwholesome things that should not be attended to and do not attend to wholesome things that should be attended to. Because they attend to what should not be attended to and do not attend to what should be attended to, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand."

Original: "A learned noble disciple gets to hear the true Dharma. They encounter true spiritual friends. They master the noble Dharma. They know the true Dharma as it really is. For wrong thinking, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen arises, and that which has arisen increases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen arise, and that which has arisen increases. For right thinking, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen does not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen do not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. Having known the true Dharma as it really is, they do not attend to what should not be attended to, and they attend to what should be attended to. Because they do not attend to what should not be attended to and attend to what should be attended to, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen does not arise, and that which has arisen ceases. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen do not arise, and that which has arisen ceases."

Explanation: "A learned noble disciple is able to hear the true Dharma, encounters true spiritual friends, can master the Dharma of the noble ones, and knows the true Dharma. If they still cannot think rightly and according to principle, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will arise, and that which has already arisen will increase and expand. Whereas for one who thinks rightly and according to principle, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will not arise again, and that which has already arisen will cease; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen will not arise, and that which has already arisen will cease."

"After a learned noble disciple has realized the true Dharma, they do not attend to unwholesome things that should not be attended to, and they attend to wholesome things that should be attended to. Because they do not attend to what should not be attended to and attend to what should be attended to, the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen does not arise, and that which has already arisen ceases; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance pertaining to the three realms that have not yet arisen do not arise, and that which has already arisen ceases."