4.
The Discourse on Mental Rigidity
14.
"For whoever, monks, whether monk or nun, the five mental rigidities have not been abandoned, the five bondages of mind have not been cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"What are his five mental rigidities that have not been abandoned? Here, monks, a monk is uncertain about the Teacher, doubts sceptically, does not resolve upon it, is not confident. Monks, a monk who is uncertain about the Teacher, doubts sceptically, does not resolve upon it, is not confident, his mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his first mental rigidity that has not been abandoned.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is uncertain about the Teaching, etc. is uncertain about the Community, etc. is uncertain about the training, etc. is angry towards his fellows in the holy life, displeased, with a struck mind, with barrenness arisen. Monks, a monk who is angry towards his fellows in the holy life, displeased, with a struck mind, with barrenness arisen, his mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his fifth mental rigidity that has not been abandoned. These are his five mental rigidities that have not been abandoned.
"What are his five bondages of mind that have not been cut off? Here, monks, a monk is not free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with non-disappearance of desire, with non-disappearance of affection, with non-disappearance of thirst, with non-disappearance of fever, with non-disappearance of craving. Monks, a monk who is not free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with non-disappearance of desire, with non-disappearance of affection, with non-disappearance of thirst, with non-disappearance of fever, with non-disappearance of craving, his mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his first bondage of mind that has not been cut off.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is not free from lust towards the body... etc. is not free from lust towards material form... etc. having eaten as much as he likes to fill his belly, dwells devoted to the pleasure of sleeping, the pleasure of lying on his side, the pleasure of torpor... lives the holy life having aspired to a certain order of gods - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity.' Monks, a monk who lives the holy life having aspired to a certain order of gods - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity,' his mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind does not incline to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his fifth bondage of mind that has not been cut off. These are his five bondages of mind that have not been cut off.
"For whoever, monks, whether monk or nun, these five mental rigidities have not been abandoned, these five bondages of mind have not been cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"Just as, monks, during the dark fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it diminishes in beauty, diminishes in roundness, diminishes in radiance, diminishes in height and circumference; so too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, these five mental rigidities have not been abandoned, these five bondages of mind have not been cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"For whoever, monks, whether monk or nun, the five mental rigidities have been abandoned, the five bondages of mind have been well cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
"What are his five mental rigidities that have been abandoned? Here, monks, a monk is not uncertain about the Teacher, does not doubt sceptically, resolves upon it, is confident. Monks, a monk who is not uncertain about the Teacher, does not doubt sceptically, resolves upon it, is confident, his mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his first mental rigidity that has been abandoned.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is not uncertain about the Teaching... etc. is not uncertain about the Community... is not uncertain about the training... is not angry towards his fellows in the holy life, is delighted, without a struck mind, without barrenness arisen. Monks, a monk who is not angry towards his fellows in the holy life, is delighted, without a struck mind, without barrenness arisen, his mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his fifth mental rigidity that has been abandoned. These are his five mental rigidities that have been abandoned.
"What are his five bondages of mind that have been well cut off? Here, monks, a monk is free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with disappearance of desire, with disappearance of affection, with disappearance of thirst, with disappearance of fever, with disappearance of craving. Monks, a monk who is free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with disappearance of desire, with disappearance of affection, with disappearance of thirst, with disappearance of fever, with disappearance of craving, his mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his first bondage of mind that has been well cut off.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is free from lust towards the body... etc. is free from lust towards material form... etc. does not, having eaten as much as he likes to fill his belly, dwell devoted to the pleasure of sleeping, the pleasure of lying on his side, the pleasure of torpor, does not live the holy life having aspired to a certain order of gods - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity.' Monks, a monk who does not live the holy life having aspired to a certain order of gods... etc. or an inferior deity, his mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving. One whose mind inclines to ardour, to pursuit, to perseverance, to striving - thus this is his fifth bondage of mind that has been well cut off. These are his five bondages of mind that have been well cut off.
"For whoever, monks, whether monk or nun, these five mental rigidities have been abandoned, these five bondages of mind have been well cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
"Just as, monks, during the bright fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it grows in beauty, grows in roundness, grows in radiance, grows in height and circumference; so too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, these five mental rigidities have been abandoned, these five bondages of mind have been well cut off, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline." The fourth.