1"Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu understands as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering, then sensual pleasures have been seen by him in such a way that as he looks at them sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures; then he has comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself thus and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him. [n.196] This sentence, as inordinately complex in the Pāli as in my translation, introduces three themes that will be taken up for detailed explanation just below. The syntax seems to be irregular, since the initial relative yato is not completed by its corresponding demonstrative tato. I read the last word with Se and Ee as nānu(s)savanti, as against Be nānusenti.

2"And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu understand as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering? [n.197] Spk explains dukkhadhammā as dukkhasambhavadhammā, "states from which suffering originates"; "for when the five aggregates exist, suffering of various kinds, such as being wounded, slain, and imprisoned, originates." ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling … such is perception … such are volitional formations … such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away’: it is in such a way that a bhikkhu understands as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering.

3"And how, bhikkhus, are sensual pleasures seen by a bhikkhu in such a way that as he looks at them sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures? Suppose there is a charcoal pit deeper than a man's height, filled with glowing coals without flame or smoke. [n.198] The simile is at SN12.63 (II 99,27–100,4), but here the phrasing is a little different. A man would come along wanting to live, not wanting to die, desiring happiness and averse to suffering. Then two strong men would grab him by both arms and drag him towards the charcoal pit. The man would wriggle his body this way and that. For what reason? Because he knows: sn.iv.189 ‘I will fall into this charcoal pit and I will thereby meet death or deadly suffering.’ So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen sensual pleasures as similar to a charcoal pit, sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures.

4"And how, bhikkhus, has a bhikkhu comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself thus and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him? Suppose a man would enter a thorny forest. There would be thorns in front of him, thorns behind him, thorns to his left, thorns to his right, thorns below him, thorns above him. He would go forward mindfully, [n.199] Wherever Ee has yato ca, I read with Be and Se sato va. he would go back mindfully, thinking, ‘May no thorn prick me!’ So too, bhikkhus, whatever in the world has a pleasing and agreeable nature is called a thorn in the Noble One's Discipline. Having understood this thus as ‘a thorn,’ [n.200] I follow Se here: … ayaṁ vuccati ariyassa vinaye kaṇṭako. Taṁ kaṇṭako ti iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo. SN35.247 (IV 198,11–12) supports this reading; see n. 219 below. one should understand restraint and nonrestraint.

5"And how, bhikkhus, is there nonrestraint? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is intent upon a pleasing form and repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It is in such a way that there is nonrestraint.

6"And how, bhikkhus, is there restraint? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not intent upon a pleasing form and not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, sn.iv.190 wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and not repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It is in such a way that there is restraint.

7"When, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is conducting himself and dwelling in such a way, if occasionally, due to a lapse of mindfulness, evil unwholesome memories and intentions connected with the fetters arise in him, slow might be the arising of his mindfulness, but then he quickly abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, obliterates them. [n.201] The simile is also at MN I 453,26–29 and MN III 300,19–23. Spk: Just the arising of mindfulness is slow, but as soon as it has arisen the defilements are suppressed and cannot persist. For when lust, etc., have arisen in the eye door, with the second javana process one knows that the defilements have arisen and the third javana process occurs with restraint. It is not surprising that an insight meditator can suppress defilements by the third javana process; for when a desirable object comes into range and a defiled javana process is about to occur, an insight meditator can stop it and arouse a wholesome javana process. This is the advantage for insight meditators of being well established in meditation and reflection.

8Suppose a man let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron plate heated for a whole day. Slow might be the falling of the water drops, but then they would quickly vaporize and vanish. So too, when a bhikkhu is conducting himself and dwelling in such a way … slow might be the arising of his mindfulness, but then he quickly abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, obliterates them.

"Thus a bhikkhu has comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him.

"When a bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, kings or royal ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen, might invite him to accept wealth, saying: ‘Come, good man, why let these saffron robes weigh you down? Why roam around with a shaven head and a begging bowl? Come, having returned to the lower life, enjoy wealth and do meritorious deeds.’

Indeed, bhikkhus, when that bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life. sn.iv.191

9"Suppose, bhikkhus, that when the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, a great crowd of people would come along bringing a shovel and basket, thinking: ‘We will make this river Ganges slant, slope, and incline towards the west.’ What do you think, bhikkhus, would that great crowd of people be able to make the river Ganges slant, slope, and incline towards the west?"

"No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, and it is not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline towards the west. That great crowd of people would only reap fatigue and vexation."

"So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, kings or royal ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen, might invite him to accept wealth … but it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life. For what reason? Because for a long time his mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined towards seclusion. Thus it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life."

1"Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Tathā kho panassa kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti. Tathā kho panassa cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānusenti.

2Kathañca, bhikkhave, sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti? ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti – evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmā diṭṭhā honti? Yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā puṇṇā aṅgārānaṁ vītaccikānaṁ vītadhūmānaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikūlo. Tamenaṁ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā, taṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ upakaḍḍheyyuṁ. So iticīticeva kāyaṁ sannāmeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ñātañhi, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa imañcāhaṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchissāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhanti. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.

4Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso bahukaṇṭakaṁ dāyaṁ paviseyya. Tassa puratopi kaṇṭako, pacchatopi kaṇṭako, uttaratopi kaṇṭako, dakkhiṇatopi kaṇṭako, heṭṭhatopi kaṇṭako, uparitopi kaṇṭako. So satova abhikkameyya, satova paṭikkameyya: ‘mā maṁ kaṇṭako’ti. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ, ayaṁ vuccati ariyassa vinaye kaṇṭako"ti. Iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo.

5Kathañca, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti … pe … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … pe … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti.

6Kathañca, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti … pe … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … pe … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti.

7Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ carato evaṁ vihārato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti, pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

8Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni nipāteyya. Dandho, bhikkhave, udakaphusitānaṁ nipāto, atha kho naṁ khippameva parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno evaṁ carato, evaṁ vihārato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti; yathā carantaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti.

Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ vihārantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā, bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti, kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi, ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti.

So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ vihāranto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

9Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya: ‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu kho so mahājanakāyo gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Gaṅgā, bhante, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; sā na sukarā pacchāninnā kātuṁ pacchāpoṇā pacchāpabbhārā. Yāvadeva ca pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā"ti.

"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tañce bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ vihārantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti, kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi, ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti. So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ vihāranto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ, tathā hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī"ti.

Sattamaṁ.