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 a striving.
  2. rejection as a striving.
  3. cultivation as a striving.
  4. preservation as a striving.

And which, almsmen, restraint as a striving?

Here, almsmen, an almsman, viewing 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. Hearing a sound by ear ... Smelling a scent by nose ... Tasting a taste by tongue ... Touching a tangible by body ... Cognizing a principle by intellect ... This is called, almsmen, restrains as a striving.

And which, almsmen, rejection as a 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 a striving.

And which, almsmen, cultivation as a 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 a striving.

And which, almsmen, preservation as a 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 a 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'