Taints To Be Abandoned By Restraining

What taints, Monks, should be abandoned by restraining?

Here a Monk, reflecting wisely, resides with the eye sense base restrained…the ear sense base restrained…the nose sense base restrained...the tongue sense base restrained…the body sense base restrained...the mind sense base restrained.

While taints, frustration, and unrest (anxiety) might arise in one who resides with the eye sense base unrestrained…the ear sense base unrestrained...the nose sense base unrestrained…the tongue sense base unrestrained...the body sense base unrestrained…the mind sense base unrestrained, there are no taints, frustration, or unrest (anxiety) in one who resides with the sense bases restrained.

These are called the taints that should be abandoned by restraining.

(Reference: MN 2)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as sensual desire should be abandoned by restraining the mind. Sensual desire is part of The Ten Fetters.

He explains a Practitioner who has unrestrained sense bases that they will experience frustration and unrest (i.e. anxiety). A Practitioner who has eliminated all the taints (i.e. The Ten Fetters) with sense bases restrained that there will be no frustration or unrest (i.e. anxiety).

The Ten Fetters

The Ten Fetters are the ten (10) individual aspects of the mind that need to be eliminated to attain Enlightenment. The word “fetter” is defined as: “a chain or shackle used to restrain a prisoner, typically placed around the ankles”. The Ten Fetters are essentially keeping a being trapped in The Cycle of Rebirth bound to the endless cycle of continuous rebirth experiencing discontentedness over countless lives.

It is not until one eliminates The Ten Fetters that a being's mind is liberated from discontentedness and The Cycle of Rebirth. A fetter can also be referred to as a taint or pollution of the mind. A taint is an impure quality of the mind and is why these need to be eliminated to attain Enlightenment. The Ten Fetters pollute the mind not allowing us to experience the brightness and radiance of the Enlightened mind.

These are “The Ten Fetters”. These are the chains that bind us into The Cycle of Rebirth and to multiple lifetimes of experiencing continuous discontentedness. You must eliminate these and practice The Seven Factors of Enlightenment to attain Enlightenment - along with many other Teachings as part of The Eight Fold Path.

Lower Fetters

1.) Personal existence view (Eliminating the concept of a permanent self from the mind. Realization of The Universal Truth of Non-self.)

2.) Doubt (Elimination of doubts about The Teachings and the ability of them to attain Enlightenment. Confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, The Community, your Teacher, and your own ability to attain Enlightenment.)

3.) Wrong behavior and observances (Elimination of the mind’s belief that rites, rituals, ceremonies, and worship will help a Practitioner to attain Enlightenment. Well developed practice of The Eight Fold Path.)

4.) Sensual desire (Elimination of the desire for pleasures from The Six Sense Bases: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and the mind.)

5.) Ill will (Elimination of hostility, hatred, anger, aggression, resentment, frustration, irritation, annoyance, etc.)

Higher Fetters

6.) Desire for form (Elimination of desire for existence in the form realms; Animal or Human. Elimination of the fear of death.)

7.) Desire for the formless (Elimination of desire for existence in the formless realms; Hell, Afflicted Spirits, or Heaven.)

8.) Conceit (Elimination of arrogance, pride, judging, measuring or comparing as superior or inferior to others. Ego is completely dissolved.)

9.) Restlessness (Elimination of confused, distracted, worried, anxious, restless state of mind the opposite of “singleness of mind”.)

10.) Ignorance (Elimination of delusion or unknowing of true reality through acquiring wisdom. Learn, reflect, and practice of The Teachings of The Buddha, such as, The Three Universal Truths, The Four Noble Truths, The Eight Fold Path, The Five Precepts, The Three Wholesome/Unwholesome Roots, The Natural Law of Kamma, The Cycle of Rebirth, etc. all detailed later in this book and book series.)