一切流攝守因經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling in contemplation at Dharma Deliberation, in the gathering at the country of Kuru, in the land of Kuru. At that time the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus; the bhikkhus replied, "Yes, we will," and the bhikkhus followed the Buddha to hear his teaching. The Buddha then taught:

"For one who has wisdom and vision, O bhikkhus, the taints can be utterly destroyed; it is not for one without wisdom and vision that the taints can be utterly destroyed.

"O bhikkhu, how is it that for one who has wisdom and vision the taints can be utterly destroyed, while for one without wisdom and without vision the taints cannot be utterly destroyed? It is simply a matter of whether there is right reflection (wise attention) or no right reflection (unwise attention). If there is no right reflection, then the taint of sensual desire that has not yet arisen will arise, and the taint of sensual desire that has already arisen will increase and grow; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have not yet arisen will arise, and the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance that have already arisen will increase and grow.

But the foolish person, O bhikkhu, the worldling who does not hear (the true Dharma), who does not see the wise, who does not follow the wise to hear the true Dharma, who does not follow the wise to receive instruction, who does not follow the wise to gain discernment and clear understanding—because of this he has no right reflection (no fundamental mindfulness), and so the taint of sensual desire not yet arisen arises, and the taint of sensual desire already arisen increases and grows; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance not yet arisen arise, and those already arisen increase and grow.

Because he does not know and does not understand, those things not worthy of being attended to he attends to, while those things that ought to be attended to he does not attend to. Because he does not attend to those things that ought to be attended to, and attends to those things not worthy of being attended to, the taint of craving not yet arisen arises, and the taint of craving already arisen increases and grows; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance not yet arisen arise; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance already arisen increase and grow.

The disciple, the bhikkhu of virtue who hears, because he has met the wise, follows the wise to receive teaching, and also follows the wise to gain discernment and clear understanding, thereby comes to know the Dharma as it truly is. If there is no right reflection (no fundamental mindfulness), then the taint of craving (the taint of sensual desire) not yet arisen arises, and the taint of craving already arisen increases and grows; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance not yet arisen arise; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance already arisen increase and grow.

If there is right reflection (fundamental mindfulness), then the taint of sensual desire not yet arisen does not arise, and that already arisen is abandoned. The taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance not yet arisen do not arise, and those already arisen are abandoned. If one knows thus as it truly is, then with regard to those things not to be attended to one does not attend to them, and with regard to those things that ought to be attended to one attends to them.

Because with regard to those things not to be attended to one does not attend to them, and to those things that ought to be attended to one attends to them, the taint of sensual desire not yet arisen does not arise, and that already arisen is abandoned; the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance not yet arisen do not arise, and those already arisen are abandoned.

"O bhikkhu, there are seven means for cutting off the taints, the afflictions, the burning torments, and the sorrows. What are the seven? O bhikkhu: there are taints to be cut off by seeing, taints to be cut off by restraint, taints to be cut off by avoidance, taints to be cut off by use, taints to be cut off by endurance, taints to be cut off by understanding, and taints to be cut off by attentiveness.

"O bhikkhu, what are the taints to be cut off by seeing? Listen, O bhikkhu: the foolish worldling who does not hear the true Dharma, who does not meet the noble ones, who does not follow the noble ones to be enlightened, who does not follow the noble ones to receive instruction and enlightenment—because of this, with regard to things not to be attended to, he attends thus: 'Did I exist in a past life? Did I not exist in a past life?

What was I in a past life? How was I in a past life? Shall I exist in a future life?

Shall I not exist in a future life? How shall I be in a future life? What shall I do in a future life?

He wonders about himself: What is this body of mine? Whence does a person come, and where will he go? What is the heart of this matter?' Because of such unwise reflection, among the six wrong views one or another wrong view arises, holding that: 'Truly there is this self (body),' or 'Truly there is no this self.' Thus doubt arises, giving rise to the speculative clinging: 'I see the self (body) as the body.' Thus doubt arises, giving rise to the speculative clinging: 'The body is my self,' or there arises the doubt: 'The body produces a corresponding seeing of the body,' or there arises the doubt: 'What is not the body I see as the body,' or there arises the doubt and clinging: 'This is the very self of my own self;

it can know, it can speak, it can act, it can feel, it can be raised up, it can stand up; everywhere and in every place it has performed deeds, has done good and evil and received their recompense; whether it ceases without rebirth or is reborn, it is just so.'

"O bhikkhu, bound fast by the fetters, bound by the fetter of doubt (wrong view), shaken by evil doubt and wrong view—O bhikkhu, the worldling who does not hear the true Dharma, because of this, suffering and its origin exist, and because of this, birth appears. The learned bhikkhu instructs his disciple in the path: 'This is suffering, which ought to be known; this is the origin, which ought to be known; this is the cessation, which ought to be known; this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering, which ought to be known.' Having known thus and seen thus, three fetters are utterly destroyed:

1. The fetter of identity (the body)

2. The fetter of doubt

3. The fetter of clinging to vows and observances.

"Because these three fetters are utterly destroyed, he follows the path single-mindedly, no longer falls into evil destinations, and is freed from the world; whether among humans or in the heavens above, he undergoes rebirth no more than seven times. After seven rebirths, suffering comes to an end. If a bhikkhu has no knowledge and no vision, then the taint of sensual desire, the afflictions, and the sorrows arise. If he has knowledge and vision, then the taint of sensual desire, the afflictions, and the sorrows are cut off, made to exist no more. This is the bhikkhu cutting off the taints by Seeing.

"O bhikkhu, what is meant by the taints being cut off by Restraint? It is the learned bhikkhu who, in his practice, when the eye sees a form, gathers in and restrains the eye-faculty so as to guard himself, practicing the contemplation of impurity (the contemplation of the foul), relying on right reflection. O bhikkhu, if he does not guard the eye-faculty, practicing the contemplation of impurity in reliance on right reflection, then the taints, with grief and worry, arise; if he gathers in and restrains the eye-faculty, stilling the mind, and by right reflection contemplates impurity, then the afflictions and sorrows will not exist. This is the bhikkhu cutting off the taints by Restraint. With regard to the ear, the nose, the mouth, the body, and the mind, it is likewise.

"O bhikkhu, what is meant by the taints being cut off by Avoidance? It is the learned bhikkhu who, in his practice, must guard himself and avoid fierce elephants, wild horses, mad oxen, fierce dogs, venomous snakes, perilous tunnels, poisonous trees, poisonous streams, dangerous places, deep ponds, steep cliffs, unsafe places, rivers and streams, deep ravines, evil acquaintances, evil companions, those who carry evil, those who receive evil, evil places, and bedding placed in evil places.

O noble one, such things cause one who has no doubt to come to have doubt. Thus the bhikkhu must avoid the places spoken of above; if he does not keep away from them, afflictions and sorrows arise; if he keeps away from them, afflictions and sorrows will exist no more. This is called the bhikkhu cutting off the taints by Avoidance.

"What is meant by the bhikkhu cutting off the taints by Use? It is the learned bhikkhu who, in his practice, when he uses robes does so not to display their beauty, not for delight, not for craving, not for adornment, but only so that the body may not be assailed by mosquitoes, gnats, wind, sun, and the various poisons, which would give rise to a disturbed mind; therefore he must guard himself. When he eats, it is not for amusement, not out of greed, not to become strong, not for a handsome appearance, but only so that the body may be sustained while he practices.

By means of this offering of food, old illness that has not recurred and new illness that does not arise are cut off, illness is ended, no offense is committed, and he has strength and dwells securely in practice. When he uses bedding, a couch, or a mat, it is not to show off, not for delight, not for craving, not for adornment, but only so that this body may be free from weariness and from severe pain and suffering. When he uses medicine, it is not to show off, not for delight, not for craving, not for adornment, but only so that this body may put an end to severe afflictions, fierce pains that are truly hard to bear, and by means of that medicine he may be rescued.

If the bhikkhu does not use these, then afflictions and sorrows arise; if he uses them, then afflictions and sorrows will arise no more. O bhikkhu, this is called cutting off the taints by Use.

"O bhikkhu, what is meant by the taints being cut off by Endurance? It is the learned bhikkhu who, in his practice, gives rise to vigorous effort to cut off evil states, to accept pure states, striving and exerting himself, persevering in skillful means with vigor, not abandoning the pure Dharma. He resolves: 'Though the flesh and skin of this body, the bones, dry up and crumble to pieces, down to the marrow, the fat, and the skin all wasting away entirely, yet my arousing of vigor shall remain.

Let me be firm of heart and courageous, with vigorous skillful means; so long as I have not attained the goal I seek, I shall not abandon my effort halfway.' O bhikkhu, one should endure heat and cold, hunger and thirst, mosquitoes and gnats, hot wind, and the oppression of the sun; hearing harsh words too foul to repeat, and a person who treats one with arrogance—these too one can patiently endure. If the body is poisoned and suffers fierce, piercing pain, unbearable and unwanted, yet one can still endure it.

If the bhikkhu does not endure, then afflictions and sorrows arise; if he can patiently endure, then afflictions and sorrows will arise no more. O bhikkhu, this is called the taints being cut off by Endurance.

"O bhikkhu, what is meant by the taints being cut off by Understanding? Listen! O bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu has given rise to desire and does not cut it off, does not relinquish it; has given rise to anger and does not cut it off, does not relinquish it; has given rise to killing, lying, and stealing and does not cut them off, does not relinquish them—O bhikkhus, if he does not understand (relinquish), then afflictions and sorrows arise; if he has understood and relinquished, then afflictions and sorrows will arise no more. This is called the bhikkhus cutting off the taints by Understanding.

"What is meant by the bhikkhu cutting off the taints by Cultivation of Practice (reflection)? Listen, O bhikkhus: the bhikkhu should reflect upon the first factor of enlightenment, which is Mindfulness. Let him sit alone, relying upon seclusion and the abandonment of evil states; the factor of investigation of phenomena likewise, the factor of energy likewise, the factor of joy likewise, the factor of tranquility likewise, the factor of concentration likewise, and even the contemplation of the factor of equanimity (letting go) likewise. If the bhikkhus do not practice this reflection, then afflictions and sorrows arise. If they do practice reflection, then afflictions and sorrows arise no more. This is called the bhikkhus cutting off the taints by Cultivation of Practice (reflection).

"O bhikkhu, if the taints are to be cut off by Seeing, then use Seeing to cut them off. If the taints are to be cut off by Restraint, then use Restraint to cut them off. If the taints are to be cut off by Avoidance, then use Avoidance to cut them off.

If the taints are to be cut off by Use, then use Use to cut them off. If the taints are to be cut off by Endurance, then use Endurance to cut them off. If the taints are to be cut off by Understanding, then use Understanding to cut them off.

If the taints are to be cut off by Cultivation of Practice, then use Cultivation of Practice to cut them off. This is called the bhikkhus cutting off all the taints, having destroyed the evil craving of the world, having been freed from the world, having cast off bondage, having reached the place where the yoke is loosed and suffering is left behind."

The Buddha spoke thus. The bhikkhus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully practiced the Dharma that transcends the world, and thereupon attained the Path.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SUTRA ON THE CAUSE OF RESTRAINING AND CUTTING OFF ALL THE TAINTS