The Middle Length Discourses, Sutta No. 10: The Discourse on the Destruction of the Taints (Part Three)

Original text: 云何有漏从护断耶。比丘。眼见色护眼根者。以正思惟不净观也。不护眼根者。不正思惟以净观也。若不护者。则生烦恼忧戚。护则不生烦恼忧戚。如是耳鼻舌身意知法。护意根者。以正思惟不净观也。不护意根者。不正思惟以净观也。若不护者。则生烦恼忧戚。护则不生烦恼忧戚。是谓有漏从护断也。

Explanation: How are the outflows of the three realms eliminated through guarding? Bhikṣus, when the eye sees forms and one well guards the eye faculty, using right thinking and the contemplation of impurity, this is elimination through guarding. One who does not guard the eye faculty, perceiving the form body as pure through wrong thinking, is not guarding; if one does not guard the eye faculty, afflictions and sorrow will arise, whereas guarding the eye faculty prevents afflictions and sorrow from arising. Likewise, those who guard the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties, contemplating sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas with right thinking, correctly cognizing sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas—this is eliminating the outflows of the three realms through guarding. Those who well guard the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties use right thinking to observe the impurity of sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas; those who do not guard these faculties, through wrong thinking toward sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas, observe the six sense objects as pure. Those who do not guard their faculties will give rise to afflictions and sorrow; those who guard their faculties will not give rise to afflictions and sorrow. This is the principle of eliminating the outflows of the three realms through guarding.

Original text: 云何有漏从离断耶。比丘。见恶象则当远离。恶马恶牛。恶狗毒蛇。恶道沟坑。屏厕江河。深泉山岩。恶知识恶朋友恶异道。恶闾里恶居止。若诸梵行与其同处。人无疑者而使有疑。比丘者应当离。恶知识恶朋友恶异道。恶闾里恶居止。若诸梵行与其同处。人无疑者而使有疑。尽当远离。若不离者。则生烦恼忧戚。离则不生烦恼忧戚。是谓有漏从离断也。

Explanation: How are the outflows of the three realms eliminated through distancing? Bhikṣus, when you see a vicious elephant, you should distance yourself from it; likewise vicious horses, vicious cattle, vicious dogs, venomous snakes, perilous roads, ditches and pits, dark and concealed toilets, rivers, deep springs, mountain cliffs, bad teachers, bad friends, followers of wrong paths, bad streets and lanes, bad dwellings—when pure practitioners of the holy life dwell in the same place as these, people who originally had no doubts will come to have doubts, and therefore you should distance yourselves. If you do not become disenchanted with these and distance yourselves from them, afflictions and sorrow will arise; by distancing yourselves from them, afflictions and sorrow will not arise. This is the meaning of eliminating the outflows of the three realms through distancing.

Original text: 云何有漏从用断耶。比丘。若用衣服。非为利故。非以贡高故。非为严饰故。但为蚊 虻。风雨寒热故。以惭愧故也。若用饮食。非为利故。非以贡高故。非为肥悦故。但为令身久住。除烦恼忧戚故。以行梵行故。欲令故病断。新病不生故。久住安隐无病故也。若用居止房舍。床褥卧具。非为利故。非以贡高故。非为严饰故。但为疲惓得止息故。得静坐故也。若用汤药。非为利故。非以贡高故。非为肥悦故。但为除病恼故。摄御命根故。安隐无病故。若不用者。则生烦恼忧戚。用则不生烦恼忧戚。是谓有漏从用断也。

Explanation: How are the outflows of the three realms eliminated through proper use? Bhikṣus, if you need clothing, it is not for the sake of gain, not out of arrogance and conceit, nor for the sake of adornment, but only to shield against mosquitoes and gadflies, wind, rain, cold, and heat, and out of a sense of shame and remorse—one wears clothing for these reasons. If you need food and drink, it is not for the sake of gain, not out of arrogance and conceit, nor for physical pleasure and enjoyment, but only to allow the material body to endure longer, to eliminate afflictions and sorrow, to practice the pure holy life, to cause old illnesses to cease and new illnesses not to arise, and to dwell long in peace and freedom from illness—one takes food and drink for these reasons. If you need dwellings, houses, beds, bedding, and other requisites, it is not for the sake of gain, not out of arrogance and conceit, nor for the sake of adornment and decoration, but only so that when weary one may obtain proper rest, and so that one may sit in quiet meditation. If you take medicines, it is not for the sake of gain, not out of arrogance and conceit, nor for bodily health and pleasure, but only to remove the suffering of illness, to sustain and protect the life faculty, and for the body to be at peace and free from the suffering of illness—one takes medicines for these reasons. If you do not use these things, afflictions and sorrow will arise; by using them, afflictions and sorrow will not arise. This is the principle of eliminating the outflows of the three realms through proper use.