Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta‘s Grove, at Anāthapiṇḍika‘s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks!” “Auspicious sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Monks, when there is a monk for whom five kinds of mental desolation have not been abandoned and five kinds of mental imprisonment have not been destroyed1, it is not possible for him to attain growth, development, and fulfillment in this Dhamma-Vinaya.
“What are the five kinds of mental desolation that have not been abandoned by him? Here, monks, a monk is uncertain and doubtful about the Teacher2, and has not resolved his mind and become confident in the Teacher. Monks, when a monk is uncertain and doubtful about the Teacher and has not resolved his mind and become confident in the Teacher, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the first kind of mental desolation that has not been abandoned by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who is uncertain and doubtful about the Dhamma… about the Saṅgha… about the training, and has not resolved his mind and become confident in the training. Monks, when a monk is uncertain and doubtful about the training and has not resolved his mind and become confident in the training, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fourth kind of mental desolation that has not been abandoned by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who is angry and dissatisfied with his co-practitioners, who has an afflicted mind and a callous nature. Monks, when a monk is angry and dissatisfied with his co-practitioners, when he has an afflicted mind and a callous nature, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fifth kind of mental desolation that has not been abandoned by him.
“These are the five kinds of mental desolation that have not been abandoned by him.
“What are the five kinds of mental imprisonment that have not been destroyed by him? Here, monks, in regards to sensuality, a monk is not free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving. Monks, when a monk is not free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving about sensuality, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the first kind of mental imprisonment that has not been destroyed by him.
“Monks, this is another one: In regards to the body… to a visible object, a monk is not free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving. Monks, when a monk is not free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving about a visible object, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the third kind of mental imprisonment that has not been destroyed by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who eats as much as he wishes to fill his stomach3, and dwells devoted to the pleasure of sleep, the pleasure of reclining, and the pleasure of lethargy. Monks, when a monk eats as much as he wishes to fill his stomach and dwells devoted to the pleasure of sleep, the pleasure of reclining, and the pleasure of lethargy, his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fourth kind of mental imprisonment that has not been destroyed by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who lives the Holy Life intent upon a particular group of devas4, thinking ‘By means of this virtue5, practice, austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or a particular kind of deva.’ Monks, when a monk live the Holy Life intent upon a particular group of devas, thinking ‘By means of this virtue, practice, austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or a particular kind of deva,’ his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not tend towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fifth kind of mental imprisonment that has not been destroyed by him.
“These are the five kinds of mental imprisonment that have not been destroyed by him.
“Monks, when there is a monk for whom these five kinds of mental desolation have not been abandoned and these five kinds of mental imprisonment have not been destroyed, it is not possible for him to attain growth, development, and fulfillment in this Dhamma-Vinaya.
“Monks, when there is a monk for whom five kinds of mental desolation have been abandoned and five kinds of mental imprisonment have been well-destroyed, it is possible for him to attain growth, development, and fulfillment in this Dhamma-Vinaya.
“What are the five kinds of mental desolation that have been abandoned by him? Here, monks, a monk is not uncertain or doubtful about the Teacher… about the Dhamma… about the Saṅgha… about the training, and has resolved his mind and become confident in the training. Monks, when a monk is not uncertain or doubtful about the training and has resolved his mind and become confident in the training, his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fourth kind of mental desolation that has been abandoned by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who is not angry or dissatisfied with his co-practitioners, who does not have an afflicted mind or a callous nature. Monks, when a monk is not angry or dissatisfied with his co-practitioners, when he does not have an afflicted mind or a callous nature, his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fifth kind of mental desolation that has been abandoned by him.
“These are the five kinds of mental desolation that have been abandoned by him.
“What are the five kinds of mental imprisonment that have been well-destroyed by him? Here, monks, in regards to sensuality… to the body… to a visible object, a monk is free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving. Monks, when a monk is free of passion, interest, affection, thirst, fever, and craving about a visible object, his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the third kind of mental imprisonment that has been well-destroyed by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who does not eat as much as he wishes to fill his stomach, and does not dwell devoted to the pleasure of sleep, the pleasure of reclining, or the pleasure of lethargy. Monks, when a monk does not eat as much as he wishes to fill his stomach and does not dwell devoted to the pleasure of sleep, the pleasure of reclining, or the pleasure of lethargy, his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fourth kind of mental imprisonment that has been well-destroyed by him.
“Monks, this is another one: There is a monk who does not live the Holy Life intent upon a particular group of devas, thinking ‘By means of this virtue, practice, austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or a particular kind of deva.’ Monks, when a monk does not live the Holy Life intent upon a particular group of devas, thinking ‘By means of this virtue, practice, austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or a particular kind of deva,’ his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving. As his mind tends towards ardency, commitment, perseverance, and striving, this is the fifth kind of mental imprisonment that has been well-destroyed by him.
“These are the five kinds of mental imprisonment that have been well-destroyed by him.
“Monks, when there is a monk for whom these five kinds of mental desolation have been abandoned and these five kinds of mental imprisonment have been well-destroyed, it is possible for him to attain growth, development, and fulfillment in this Dhamma-Vinaya.
“He develops the basis of success6 which is endowed with the formation7 of concentration and striving based on interest… on energy… on mentality… on investigation, with exertion as the fifth. Monks, a monk who is endowed in this way with fifteen factors8 including exertion, it is possible for him to attain breakthrough9, it is possible for him to attain awakening, it is possible for him to attain arrival at unsurpassable security from bondage. Monks, it is like when there is a hen who has eight or ten or twelve eggs. She correctly sits on, incubates, and fully develops those eggs. Even if the hen does not produce the wish, ‘May the chicks pierce the eggshells with their claws or beaks and break through safely,’ it is still possible that those chicks will pierce the eggshells with their claws and beaks and break through safely. Monks, in the same way, a monk who is endowed with these fifteen factors including exertion, it is possible for him to attain breakthrough, it is possible for him to attain awakening, it is possible for him to attain arrival at unsurpassable security from bondage.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, those monks delighted in the Blessed One‘s speech.
Thus have I heard:
At one time the Lord was staying near Savatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There the Lord addressed the monks, saying:
“Monks.”
“Revered One,” these monks answered the Lord in assent. The Lord spoke thus:
“Monks, by whatever monk five mental barrennesses are not got rid of, five mental bondages are not rooted out, that he should come to growth, expansion, maturity in this Dhamma and discipline, such a situation does not occur. Which are the five mental barrennesses that are not got rid of by him?
(1) Herein, monks, the monk has doubts about the Teacher, is perplexed, is not convinced, is not sure. Monks, whatever monk has doubts about the Teacher, is perplexed, is not convinced, is not sure, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the first mental barrenness that thus comes not to be got rid of by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(2) And again, monks, the monk has doubts about Dhamma, is perplexed, is not convinced, is not sure, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the second mental barrenness that thus comes not to be got rid of by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(3) And again, monks, the monk has doubts about the Order, is perplexed, is not convinced, is not sure, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the third mental barrenness that thus comes not to be got rid of by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(4) And again, monks, the monk has doubts about the training, is perplexed, is not convinced, is not sure, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fourth mental barrenness that thus comes not to be got rid of by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(5) And again, monks, a monk comes to be angry, displeased with his fellow Brahma-farers, the mind worsened, barren. Monks, whatever monk comes to be angry, displeased with his fellow Brahma-farers, his mind worsened, barren, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fifth mental barrenness that thus comes not to be got rid of by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
These are the five mental barrennesses that are not got rid of.
And what are the five mental bondages that are not rooted out in him?
(1) In this case, monks, a monk is not without attachment to sense-pleasures, not without desire, not without affection, not without thirst, not without fever, not without craving. Monks, whatever monk is not without attachment to sense-pleasures, not without desire, not without affection, not without thirst, not without fever, not without craving, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the first mental bondage that thus comes not to be rooted out by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(2) And again, monks, a monk is not without attachment to body, not without desire, not without affection, not without thirst, not without fever, not without craving, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the second mental bondage that thus comes not to be rooted out by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(3) And again, monks, a monk is not without attachment to material shapes, not without desire, not without affection, not without thirst, not without fever, not without craving, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the third mental bondage that thus comes not to be rooted out by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(4) And again, monks, a monk having eaten as much as his belly will hold, lives intent on the ease of bed, on the ease of lying down, on the ease of slumber. Whatever monk, having eaten as much as his belly will hold, lives intent on the ease of bed, on the ease of lying down, on the ease of slumber, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fourth mental bondage that comes to be not rooted out by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(5) And again, monks, a monk fares the Brahma-faring aspiring after some class of devas, thinking: ‘By this moral habit or custom or austerity or Brahma-faring I will become a deva or one among the devas. Whatever monk fares the Brahma-faring aspiring after some class of devas, thinking; ‘By this moral habit or custom or austerity or Brahma-faring I will become a deva or one among the devas’, his mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fifth mental bondage that comes not to be rooted out by him whose mind does not incline to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
These are his five mental bondages that are not rooted out.
Monks, by whatever monk these five mental barrennesses are not got rid of, these five mental bondages are not rooted out, that he should come to growth, expansion, maturity in this Dhamma and discipline, such a situation does not occur. Monks, by whatever monk five mental barrennesses are got rid of, five mental bondages are properly rooted out, that he should come to growth, expansion, maturity in this Dhamma and discipline, this situation occurs.
Which are the five mental barrennesses that are got rid of by him?
(1) Herein, monks, a monk has no doubts about the Teacher, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure. Monks, whatever monk has no doubts about the Teacher, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the first mental barrenness that comes to be got rid of by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(2) And again, monks, a monk has no doubts about Dhamma, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure. Monks, whatever monk has no doubts about the Dhamma, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the second mental barrenness that comes to be got rid of by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(3) And again, monks, a monk has no doubts about the Order, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure. Monks, whatever monk has no doubts about the Order, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the third mental barrenness that comes to be got rid of by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(4) And again, monks, a monk has no doubts about the training, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure. Monks, whatever monk has no doubts about the training, is not perplexed, is convinced, is sure, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fourth mental barrenness that comes to be got rid of by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(5) And again, monks, a monk does not come to be angry, displeased with his fellow Brahma-farers, the mind worsened, barren. Monks, whatever monk does not come to be angry, displeased with his fellow Brahma-farers, his mind worsened, barren, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fifth mental barrenness that thus comes to be got rid of by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
These are the five mental barrennesses that are got rid of by him.
And what are the five mental bondages that are properly rooted out by him?
(1) In this case, monks, a monk comes to be without attachment to sense-pleasures, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving. Whatever monk is without attachment to sense-pleasures, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the first mental bondage that comes to be properly rooted out by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(2) And again, monks, a monk comes to be without attachment to body, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving. Whatever monk is without attachment to body, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the second mental bondage that comes to be properly rooted out by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(3) And again, monks, a monk comes to be without attachment to material shapes, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving. Whatever monk is without attachment to material shapes, without desire, without affection, without thirst, without fever, without craving, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the third mental bondage that comes to be properly rooted out by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(4) And again, monks, a monk not having eaten as much as his belly will hold, does not live intent on the ease of bed, on the ease of lying down, on the ease of slumber. Whatever monk, not having eaten as much as his belly will hold, does not live intent on the ease of bed, on the ease of lying down, on the ease of slumber, his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fourth mental bondage that comes to be properly rooted out by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
(5) And again, monks, a monk does not fare the Brahma-faring aspiring after some class of devas and thinking: ‘By this moral habit or custom or austerity or Brahma-faring I will become a deva or one among the devas.’ Whatever monk does not fare the Brahma-faring aspiring after some class of devas and thinking: ‘By this moral habit or custom or austerity or Brahma-faring I will become a deva or one among the devas’ his mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving. This is the fifth mental bondage that comes to be properly rooted out by him whose mind inclines to ardour, to continual application, to perseverance, to striving.
These are the five forms of mental bondage that are properly rooted out in him.
Monks, by whatever monk these five forms of mental barrenness are got rid of, these five forms of mental bondage are properly rooted out, that he should come to growth, expansion, maturity in this Dhamma and discipline, such a situation occurs.
He cultivates the basis of psychic power that is possessed of concentration of intention with activities of striving; he cultivates the basis of psychic power that is possessed of concentration of energy with activities of striving; he cultivates the basis of psychic power that is possessed of concentration of consciousness with activities of striving; he cultivates the basis of psychic power that is possessed of concentration of investigation with activities of striving, with exertion as the fifth. Monks, if a monk is thus possessed of fifteen factors including exertion he becomes one for successful breaking through, he becomes one for awakening, he becomes one for winning the incomparable security from the bonds.
Monks, it is as if there were eight or ten or a dozen hen's eggs properly sat on, properly incubated, properly hatched by that hen; such a wish as this would not arise in that hen: ‘O may my chicks, having pierced through the egg-shells with the point of the claw on their feet or with their beaks, break forth safely.’ for these chicks were ones who were able to break forth safely having pierced through the egg-shells with the point of the claw on their feet or with their beaks. Even so, monks, is it that a monk who is thus possessed of the fifteen factors including exertion becomes one for successful breaking through, he becomes one for awakening, he becomes one for winning the incomparable security from the bonds.”
Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, these monks rejoiced in what the Lord had said.
Discourse on Mental Barrenness: The Sixth
- Translator: I.B. Horner
