4.
The First Discourse on Endurance
164.
"There are, monks, these four practices.
What are the four?
The practice of non-endurance, the practice of endurance, the practice of taming, the practice of calming.
And what, monks, is the practice of non-endurance?
Here, monks, a certain person reviles back one who reviles, irritates back one who irritates, quarrels back with one who quarrels.
This is called, monks, the practice of non-endurance.
"And what, monks, is the practice of endurance? Here, monks, a certain person does not revile back one who reviles, does not irritate back one who irritates, does not quarrel back with one who quarrels. This is called, monks, the practice of endurance.
"And what, monks, is the practice of taming? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it; he guards the eye-faculty; he commits to restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it; he guards the mind faculty; he commits to restraint of the mind faculty. This is called, monks, the practice of taming.
"And what, monks, is the practice of calming? Here, monks, a monk does not accept an arisen sensual thought, he abandons it, dispels it, calms it, puts an end to it, brings it to obliteration; an arisen thought of anger... etc. An arisen thought of violence... Whatever evil unwholesome mental states have arisen, he does not accept them, he abandons them, dispels them, calms them, puts an end to them, brings them to obliteration. This is called, monks, the practice of calming. These, monks, are the four practices." The fourth.