Madhyama Āgama, No. 10: The Discourse on the Destruction of the Taints (Part One)

Original text: 世尊告诸比丘。以知以见故诸漏得尽。非不知。非不见也。云何以知以见故诸漏得尽耶。有正思惟不正思惟。若不正思惟者。未生欲漏而生。已生便增广。未生有漏无明漏而生。已生便增广。若正思惟者。未生欲漏而不生。已生便灭。未生有漏无明漏而不生。已生便灭。

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: It is because of knowing and seeing the Dharma that all the outflows of afflictions can be exhausted; it is not that they can be exhausted without knowing or seeing the Dharma. Why is it that only by knowing and seeing the Dharma can the outflows of afflictions be exhausted? There is a distinction between sentient beings' correct deliberation and incorrect deliberation. If sentient beings do not deliberate correctly, then the affliction of craving that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen it will continue to expand; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen they will expand. If sentient beings deliberate correctly, then the affliction of craving that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen it will cease; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen they will cease.

Original text: 然凡夫愚人不得闻正法。不值真知识。不知圣法。不调御圣法。不知如真法。不正思惟者。未生欲漏而生。已生便增广。未生有漏无明漏而生。已生便增广。正思惟者。未生欲漏而不生。已生便灭。未生有漏无明漏而不生。已生便灭。不知如真法故。不应念法而念。应念法而不念。以不应念法而念。应念法而不念故。未生欲漏而生。已生便增广。未生有漏无明漏而生。已生便增广。

Explanation: However, ordinary foolish worldlings cannot hear the true Dharma, cannot encounter true spiritual friends, do not know the Dharma of the noble ones, cannot master the Dharma of the noble ones, and do not know the Dharma as it truly is. For those who cannot deliberate correctly, the affliction of craving that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen it will expand; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen they will expand. But for those who can deliberate correctly, the outflow of craving that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen it will cease; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen they will be exhausted.

Because sentient beings do not know the true Dharma, they constantly dwell upon unwholesome dharmas that they should not dwell upon, and do not dwell upon the wholesome dharmas that they should dwell upon. Because they dwell upon dharmas they should not dwell upon and do not dwell upon dharmas they should dwell upon, the outflow of the affliction of craving that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen it will expand; the outflows of afflictions and of ignorance that have not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen they will expand.

Original text: 多闻圣弟子得闻正法。值真知识。调御圣法。知如真法。不正思惟者。未生欲漏而生。已生便增广。未生有漏无明漏而生。已生便增广。正思惟者。未生欲漏而不生。已生便灭。未生有漏无明漏而不生。已生便灭。知如真法已。不应念法不念。应念法便念。以不应念法不念。应念法便念故。未生欲漏而不生。已生便灭。未生有漏无明漏而不生。已生便灭也。

Explanation: The noble disciples of much learning can hear the true Dharma, can encounter true spiritual friends, can master the Dharma of the noble ones, and know the Dharma as it truly is. If they still cannot deliberate correctly, the outflow of craving that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen it will expand; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will arise, and once arisen they will expand. But for the one who deliberates correctly, the outflow of the affliction of craving that has not yet arisen will no longer arise, and once arisen it will be exhausted; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen they will be exhausted.

After the noble disciples of much learning have realized the true Dharma, they will not dwell upon the unwholesome dharmas that they should not dwell upon, and will dwell upon the wholesome dharmas that they should dwell upon. Because they do not dwell upon dharmas they should not dwell upon, and dwell upon dharmas they should dwell upon, the outflow of craving that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen it will cease; the outflow of the afflictions of existence in the three realms and the outflow of ignorance that has not yet arisen will not arise, and once arisen they will be exhausted.