Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta‘s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There, he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, do you recall the five lower fetters as I have taught them?”
When this was said, Venerable Mālukyaputta responded to the Blessed One: “Indeed, venerable sir, I remember the five lower fetters as taught by the Blessed One.”
“How exactly do you remember the five lower fetters as I have taught them, Mālukyaputta?”
“Venerable sir, I recall the following as lower fetters taught by the Blessed One: identity-view, |doubt::wrt teachings|, adherence to rules and observances, sensual desire, and ill will. This is how I remember the five lower fetters, venerable sir.”
“Mālukyaputta, for what reason do you say that I taught these five lower fetters in this way? Surely, Mālukyaputta, the wanderers of other sects might use the simile of an infant to challenge you. For a young, tender infant lying on his back does not even have the concept of ‘self’, so how could the view of identity arise in him? Yet, the latent tendency towards identity-view is present within him. A young, tender infant lying on his back does not even have the concept of ‘teachings’, so how could doubt about teachings arise in him? Yet, the latent tendency towards doubt is present within him. A young, tender infant lying on his back does not even have the concept of ‘ethics’, so how could adherence to rules and observances arise in him? Yet, the latent tendency towards such attachment is present within him. A young, tender infant lying on his back does not even have the concept of ‘sensual pleasures’, so how could sensual desire arise in him? Yet, the latent tendency towards sensual desire is present within him. A young, tender infant lying on his back does not even have the concept of ‘beings’, so how could ill will towards beings arise in him? Yet, the latent tendency towards ill will is present within him. Wouldn‘t the wanderers of other sects use this simile of the infant to challenge you?”
After this was said, Venerable Ānanda addressed the Blessed One: “It is time, Blessed One, it is time, Well-Gone One, for you to teach the five lower fetters. Upon hearing them from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember.”
“Therefore, Ānanda, listen carefully and pay close attention; I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” replied Venerable Ānanda. The Blessed One then spoke:
“Here, Ānanda, an uninstructed ordinary person, who does not regard noble ones and is unskilled and untrained in their Dhamma, who does not regard virtuous people and is unskilled and untrained in their Dhamma, remains entangled and afflicted by identity view; and does not truly understand the escape from arisen identity view. For him, this identity view has become deep-rooted and is a lower fetter.
He remains entangled and afflicted by doubt; and he does not truly know the escape from arisen doubt. This doubt has become deep-rooted and is a lower fetter.
He remains entangled and afflicted by adherence to rules and observances; and he does not truly know the escape from arisen adherence to rules and observances. This attachment has become deep-rooted and is a lower fetter.
He remains entangled and afflicted by sensual desire; and he does not truly know the escape from arisen sensual desire. This sensual desire has become deep-rooted and is a lower fetter.
He remains entangled and afflicted by ill will; and he does not truly know the escape from arisen ill will. This ill will has become deep-rooted and is a lower fetter.
Moreover, Ānanda, a disciple of the noble ones, who respects the noble ones and is skilled and well-trained in their Dhamma, who respects virtuous people and is skilled and well-trained in their Dhamma, does not remain entangled or afflicted by identity view; he truly understands the escape from any arisen identity view. For him, that identity view and its underlying tendency are abandoned.
He does not remain entangled or afflicted by doubt; he truly understands the escape from any arisen doubt. For him, that doubt and its underlying tendency are abandoned.
He does not remain entangled or afflicted by adherence to rules and observances; he truly understands the escape from any arisen adherence to rules and observances. For him, that attachment and its underlying tendency are abandoned.
He does not remain entangled or afflicted by sensual desire; he truly understands the escape from any arisen sensual desire. For him, that sensual desire and its underlying tendency are abandoned.
He does not remain entangled or afflicted by ill will; he truly understands the escape from any arisen ill will. For him, that ill will and its underlying tendency are abandoned.
Ānanda, there is a path and a way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters. That one could understand, see, or abandon these five lower fetters without following this path and way of practice — this is not possible. Just as it is impossible to cut out the heartwood of a large, solid tree standing with heartwood without first cutting through its bark and sapwood, similarly, it is not possible to abandon the five lower fetters without adhering to the correct path and way of practice.
Furthermore, Ānanda, there is indeed a path and a way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters; that one, by following this path and way of practice, can understand, see, or abandon these five lower fetters — this possibility does exist.
Just as, Ānanda, it is indeed possible for someone to cut through the core of a great tree endowed with heartwood by first slicing through its bark and sapwood, similarly, Ānanda, it is indeed possible for one to understand, see, and abandon the five lower fetters by adhering to the correct path and way of practice. Just as, Ānanda, the Ganges River, full and overflowing, is impassable in its breadth by a frail person who thinks, ’I will cross this breadth of the Ganges River by cutting through the current safely to the other side‘; such a person would not be able to cut through the current and reach the far shore safely. In the same way, Ānanda, for those whose minds do not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free when teachings leading to the cessation of identity-view are given, they should be seen as frail like that person. Just as, Ānanda, the Ganges River, full and deep, could be crossed by a strong person who thinks, ’I will cut through the current of this river and safely reach the other side‘; such a person would be able to cut through the current and safely reach the far shore.
Similarly, Ānanda, for those whose minds do leap forward, become confident, steady, and free when teachings leading to the cessation of identity-view are given, they should be viewed as strong like that person.
And what, Ānanda, is the path, what is the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, through detachment from |acquisitions::attachments, taking as mine, appropriation, sense of ownership, identification [upadhi]| and by abandoning |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental qualities, with the complete calming of |bodily sluggishness::physical heaviness [kāyaduṭṭhulla]|, secluded from sensual pleasures and further secluded from unwholesome mental qualities, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born from seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and is |filled with joyful pleasure::imbued with joy and happiness, with delight and ease, sometimes experienced as an intense joy or pleasure, rapture [pītisukha]|. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present — whether |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, |felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, |perception::interpretation and recognition of oneself, of things. It can involve concepts, labels, and judgments; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, |intentional constructions::intentions, decisions, choices, volitional activities, constructed experiences, production of kamma; fourth of the five aggregates [saṅkhāra]|, or |consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind]; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]| — as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he experiences the wearing away of the mental defilements. But if he does not experience the wearing away of the mental defilements because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This indeed, Ānanda, is the path, the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters.
Furthermore, Ānanda, the bhikkhu, with the |settling::calming, conciliation, subsiding [vūpasama]| of reflection and examination, enters and dwells in the second jhāna … continues to the third jhāna … and then enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. In these states, whatever phenomena are present — whether form, sensation, perception, volitions, or consciousness — he perceives as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he experiences the wearing away of the mental defilements. But if he does not experience the wearing away of the mental defilements because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This indeed, Ānanda, is the path, the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters.
Furthermore, Ānanda, with the complete surpassing of |perceptions of form::recognition of matter, concept of materiality [rūpasaññā]|, with the disappearance of |perceptions of sensory impact::recognition of sense impression [paṭighasaññā]|, and non-attention to |perceptions of diversity::recognition of diversity, perception of multiplicity [nānattasaññā]|, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, sometimes translated as dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]|, aware that ‘space is boundless.’ Whatever phenomena are present there, whether pertaining to sensations, perceptions, formations, or consciousness - he perceives as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he experiences the wearing away of the mental defilements. But if he does not experience the wearing away of the mental defilements because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This, indeed, Ānanda, is also the path, the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters.
Furthermore, Ānanda, with complete surpassing of the base of boundless space, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]|, aware that ‘consciousness is boundless.’ Whatever phenomena are present there — whether pertaining to sensations, perceptions, formations, or consciousness — he perceives as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he experiences the wearing away of the mental defilements. But if he does not experience the wearing away of the mental defilements because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This, indeed, Ānanda, is also the path, the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters.
Furthermore, Ānanda, with the complete surpassing of the base of boundless consciousness, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct ”something“ to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]|, aware that ‘there is nothing.’ Whatever phenomena are present there — whether pertaining to sensations, perceptions, formations, or consciousness — he perceives as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he experiences the wearing away of the mental defilements. But if he does not experience the wearing away of the mental defilements because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This, indeed, Ānanda, is also the path, the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters.”
“If this, venerable sir, is the path and the way of practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters, then why are some bhikkhus said to be ‘released by mind’ and some bhikkhus are said to be ‘released by wisdom’?”
“The difference here, Ānanda, is in their faculties, I say.”
Thus spoke the Blessed One. The venerable Ānanda was satisfied and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.