“Bhikkhus, there are these four knots. What four? The bodily knot of covetousness, the bodily knot of ill will, the bodily knot of distorted grasp of rules and vows, the bodily knot of adherence to dogmatic assertion of truth. These are the four knots. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these four knots, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”
sn.45.174 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)
Knots
- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Editor: Blake Walsh
Personal Ties
“Mendicants, there are these four ties.What four?
The personal ties to covetousness, ill will, misapprehension of precepts and observances, and the insistence that this is the only truth.
These are the four ties.
The noble eightfold path should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these four ties.”