AN 6.50  Indriyasaṁvara sutta - Sense Restraint

“Indriyasaṁvare, bhikkhave, asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

“|Bhikkhus,::::| when |sense restraint::guarding the sense faculties [indriyasaṁvara]| is lacking, for one who errs in sense restraint, |ethical conduct::virtue, moral integrity [sīla]| lacks its proximate cause. When ethical conduct is lacking, for one who transgresses the moral precepts, |right collectedness::perfect stability of mind, correct mental composure [sammāsamādhi]| lacks its proximate cause. When right collectedness is lacking, for one who fails in right collectedness, the |knowledge and vision of things as they truly are::knowing and seeing reality, knowledge and vision into things as they truly are [yathābhūtañāṇadassana]| lacks its proximate cause. When the knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is lacking, for one who fails to know and see reality, |disenchantment and fading of desire::de-illusionment and dispassion, disinterest and detachment [nibbidāvirāga]| lacks its proximate cause. When disenchantment and fading of desire are lacking, for one who fails in disenchantment and fading of desire, the |knowledge and vision of liberation::understanding and realization of liberation, total understanding of emancipation [vimuttiñāṇadassana]| lacks its proximate cause.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.

Suppose, |bhikkhus,::::| there is a tree without branches and leaves. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness, its bark does not grow to fullness, its sapwood does not grow to fullness, and its heartwood does not grow to fullness.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Just so, |bhikkhus,::::| when sense restraint is lacking, for one who errs in sense restraint, ethical conduct lacks its proximate cause. When ethical conduct is lacking, for one who transgresses the moral precepts, right collectedness lacks its proximate cause. When right collectedness is lacking, for one who fails in right collectedness, the knowledge and vision of things as they truly are lacks its proximate cause. When the knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is lacking, for one who fails to know and see reality, disenchantment and fading of desire lacks its proximate cause. When disenchantment and fading of desire are lacking, for one who fails in disenchantment and fading of desire, the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.

Indriyasaṁvare, bhikkhave, sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle sati sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidāvirāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

|Bhikkhus,::::| when sense restraint is present,^[1] for one who succeeds in sense restraint, the proximate cause for ethical conduct is present. When ethical conduct is present, for one |accomplished in ethical conduct::of excellent morality; accomplished in virtue [sīlasampanna]|, the proximate cause for right collectedness is present. When right collectedness is present, for one who succeeds in right collectedness, the proximate cause for the knowledge and vision of things as they truly is present. When the knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is present, for one who knows and sees reality, the proximate cause for disenchantment and fading of desire is present. When disenchantment and fading of desire are present, for one with disenchantment and dispassion, the proximate cause for the knowledge and vision of liberation is present.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.

Suppose, |bhikkhus,::::| there is a tree with branches and leaves. Then its shoots grow to fullness, its bark grows to fullness, its sapwood grows to fullness, and its heartwood grows to fullness.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, indriyasaṁvare sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.

Just so, |bhikkhus,::::| when sense restraint is present, for one who succeeds in sense restraint, the proximate cause for ethical conduct is present. When ethical conduct is present, for one accomplished in ethical conduct, the proximate cause for right collectedness is present. When right collectedness is present, for one who succeeds in right collectedness, the proximate cause for the knowledge and vision of things as they truly is present. When the knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is present, for one who knows and sees reality, the proximate cause for disenchantment and fading of desire is present. When disenchantment and fading of desire are present, for one with disenchantment and dispassion, the proximate cause for the knowledge and vision of liberation is present.”