An Explanation on Principles

on what the buddha taught

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Restraint (AN 4.14)

Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukkanipātapāḷi
Paṭhamapaṇṇāsakaṃ
Caravaggo
Saṃvarasuttaṃ

'These four, almsmen, strivings.

Which four?

  1. Restraint as striving.
  2. Rejection as striving.
  3. Cultivation as striving.
  4. Preservation as striving.

And which, almsmen, restraint as striving?

Here, almsmen, an almsman, having viewed form by eye, is not a holder of indications, not a holder of details, by reason of which there to, the strength of the eye abiding unrestrained, he would befall to avarice and distress, evil, unwholesome principles. To restrain that he goes against, he guards against, the strength of the eye. The strength of the eye undergoes the restraint. Having heard a sound by ear ... Having smelled a scent by nose ... Having tasted a taste by tongue ... Having touched a tangible by body ... Having cognised a principle by intellect ... This is called, almsmen, restrains as striving.

And which, almsmen, rejection as striving?

Here, almsmen, an almsman not endures, gives up, dispels, eradicates, obliterates arisen lustful thoughts ... arisen angry thoughts ... arisen harmful thoughts ... whichever arisen evil, unwholesome principles. This is called, almsmen, rejection as striving.

And which, almsmen, cultivation as striving?

Here, almsmen, an almsman cultivates meditation as member of enlightenment, relying on withdrawal, relying on fading, relying on cessation, resulting in waivering. discernment of principles as member of enlightenment ... vigour as member of enlightenment ... pleasantness as member of enlightenment ... relaxation as member of enlightenment ... concentration as member of enlightenment ... objectivity as member of enlightenment ... This is called, almsmen, cultivation as striving.

And which, almsmen, preservation as striving?

Here, almsmen, an almsman preserves an arisen suitable indication of concentration: the perception of a skeleton, the perception of a maggot infested cadaver, the perception of a discoloured cadaver, the perception of a festering cadaver, the perception of a fissured cadaver, the perception of a bloated cadaver. This is called, almsmen, preservation as striving.

OK these, almsmen, are the four strivings.'

'And restraint and rejection, cultivation, preservation
these four strivings are pointed out by the Kinsman of the Sun
by which the here ardent almsman
ought to reach the barrenness of suffering'