Skip to content
True DhammaLibrary · Community
AN 6.50PTS AN 3.3602 min read

Sense Restraint

Indriyasaṁvarasutta

Just as a tree without leaves cannot grow, sense restraint is the foundation for spiritual growth.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.50Numbered Discourses 6.50
  • 0.25. Dhammikavagga5. About Dhammika

0.3IndriyasaṁvarasuttaSense Restraint

1.1PTS 3.360“Indriyasaṁvare, bhikkhave, asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ;“Mendicants, when there is no sense restraint, one who lacks sense restraint has destroyed a vital condition for ethical conduct.1.2sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi;When there is no ethical conduct, one who lacks ethics has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion.1.3sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ;When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.1.4yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo;When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.1.5nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

1.6Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno.Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage.1.7Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness.

1.8Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ …pe…In the same way, when there is no sense restraint, one who lacks sense restraint has destroyed a vital condition for ethical conduct. …1.9vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.One who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

2.1Indriyasaṁvare, bhikkhave, sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ;When there is sense restraint, one who has fulfilled sense restraint has fulfilled a vital condition for ethical conduct.2.2sīle sati sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi;When there is ethical conduct, one who has fulfilled ethical conduct has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion.2.3sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ;When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.2.4yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo;When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.2.5nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidāvirāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

2.6Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would all grow to fullness.

2.7Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, indriyasaṁvare sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ …pe…In the same way, when there is sense restraint, one who has fulfilled sense restraint has fulfilled a vital condition for ethical conduct. …2.8vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.One who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.”

2.9Aṭṭhamaṁ.