Sutta 2: The Importance of Self-Control

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0875c19] Thus I have heard:

At one time, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) was in Śrāvastī (舍衛國 [she wei guo]), dwelling in the Jetavana Anāthapiṇḍada Garden (祇樹給孤獨園 [qi shu gei gu du yuan]). At that time, a householder (處到 [chu dao]) came to the Buddha (佛 [fu]). Having approached the Buddha (佛 [fu]), he prostrated himself and sat down. Having sat down, he asked the Buddha (佛 [fu]): "What does it mean to not guard one's body (不守不守身 [bu shou bu shou shen])? What does it mean to not guard one's speech (不守不守口聲 [bu shou bu shou kou sheng])? What does it mean to not guard one's mind (不守不守意 [bu shou bu shou yi])?"

[0875c19] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài shě wèi guó, xíng zài qí shù gěi gū dú yuán. shì shí chù dào fú yǐ, dào fú lǐ biàn zuò, yǐ zuò wèn fú: “hé děng bù shǒu bù shǒu shēn? hé děng bù shǒu bù shǒu kǒu shēng? hé děng bù shǒu bù shǒu yì?”

[0875c19] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai she wei guo, xing zai qi shu gei gu du yuan. shi shi chu dao fu yi, dao fu li bian zuo, yi zuo wen fu: "he deng bu shou bu shou shen? he deng bu shou bu shou kou sheng? he deng bu shou bu shou yi?"

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0875c22] The Buddha (佛 [fu]) then said: " Householder (給孤獨家意 [gei gu du jia yi])! Not guarding bodily actions (不守身行 [bu shou shen xing]), not guarding verbal actions (不得守口聲行 [bu de shou kou sheng xing]), and not guarding mental actions (不得守心行 [bu de shou xin xing]) means not guarding one's own actions. If one does not guard one's bodily actions (不守身己行 [bu shou shen ji xing]), verbal actions (不守口聲己行 [bu shou kou sheng ji xing]), or mental actions (不守心身行 [bu shou xin shen xing]), then the body will decay, speech will decay, and the mind will also decay. When bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions have decayed, they become unwholesome. Death will be unwholesome, and the subsequent existence will also be unwholesome. For example, householder (迦羅越 [jia luo yue])! If a building or a hall (若樓若堂屋 [ruo lou ruo tang wu]) is not covered, and if rain comes, the rafters will get soaked, the beams will get soaked, and the walls will get soaked. When the walls are soaked, they will rot; the beams will rot, and the rafters will rot. It is like this, householder (迦羅越 [jia luo yue])! If one's mind is not guarded (己意不守 [ji yi bu shou]), bodily actions are not guarded (身行亦不守 [shen xing yi bu shou]), verbal actions are not guarded (口行亦不守 [kou xing yi bu shou]), and volitional actions (念行 [nian xing]) are not guarded, then one's mind, speech, and body not being guarded will lead to unwholesomeness. Death will be unwholesome, and the subsequent existence will also be unwholesome."

[0875c22] fú biàn shuō: “gěi gū dú jiā yì bù shǒu shēn xíng, yì bù dé shǒu kǒu shēng xíng, yì bù dé shǒu xīn xíng, yì bù shǒu jǐ xíng, bù shǒu shēn jǐ xíng, bù shǒu kǒu shēng jǐ xíng, bù shǒu xīn shēn xíng biàn fǔ, shēng shuō biàn fǔ, xīn xíng yì fǔ； yǐ fǔ shēn xíng shēng xíng xīn xíng biàn bù shàn, sǐ yì bù shàn shòu yì bù shàn chù. pì yù jiā luó yuè! ruò lóu ruò táng wū bù fù, ruò shǐ yǔ lái, zhà yì zì chuán yì zì bì yì zì, yǐ zì bì yì fǔ chuán yì fǔ zhà yì fǔ, pì rú shì. jiā luó yuè! jǐ yì bù shǒu, shēn xíng yì bù shǒu, kǒu xíng yì bù shǒu, niàn xíng yì bù shǒu, jǐ yì shēng shēn bù shǒu biàn bù shàn, sǐ biàn bù shàn shòu biàn bù shàn chù.”

[0875c22] fu bian shuo: "gei gu du jia yi bu shou shen xing, yi bu de shou kou sheng xing, yi bu de shou xin xing, yi bu shou ji xing, bu shou shen ji xing, bu shou kou sheng ji xing, bu shou xin shen xing bian fu, sheng shuo bian fu, xin xing yi fu; yi fu shen xing sheng xing xin xing bian bu shan, si yi bu shan shou yi bu shan chu. pi yu jia luo yue! ruo lou ruo tang wu bu fu, ruo shi yu lai, zha yi zi chuan yi zi bi yi zi, yi zi bi yi fu chuan yi fu zha yi fu, pi ru shi. jia luo yue! ji yi bu shou, shen xing yi bu shou, kou xing yi bu shou, nian xing yi bu shou, ji yi sheng shen bu shou bian bu shan, si bian bu shan shou bian bu shan chu."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0876a02] The householder (迦羅越 [jia luo yue]) then asked the Buddha (佛 [fu]): "What does it mean to guard so that the body is guarded (守令得身守 [shou ling de shen shou])? What does it mean to guard so that speech is guarded (守令得口守 [shou ling de kou shou])? What does it mean to guard so that the mind is guarded (守令得念守 [shou ling de nian shou])?"

[0876a02] jiā luó yuè biàn wèn fú: “hé děng wèi shǒu lìng dé shēn shǒu? hé děng wèi shǒu lìng dé kǒu shǒu? hé děng wèi shǒu lìng dé niàn shǒu?”

[0876a02] jia luo yue bian wen fu: "he deng wei shou ling de shen shou? he deng wei shou ling de kou shou? he deng wei shou ling de nian shou?"

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0876a04] The Buddha (佛 [fu]) told the householder (迦羅越 [jia luo yue]): "If the mind is guarded (意已守 [yi yi shou]), then bodily, verbal, and mental actions are guarded (身口念索守 [shen kou nian suo shou]). If one's body, speech, and mind are guarded (己身守己口守己念守 [ji shen shou ji kou shou ji nian shou]), then the body will not decay, speech will not decay, and the mind will not decay. If bodily actions have not decayed, if verbal actions have not decayed, and if mental actions have not decayed, then at the time of death, one will have a wholesome death, receive wholesome rebirth, and attain a wholesome state. For example, householder (迦羅越 [jia luo yue])! If a building or a hall (若樓若堂屋 [ruo lou ruo tang wu]) is covered, and if rain comes, the rafters will not get soaked, the beams will not get soaked, and the walls will not get soaked. When the walls are not soaked, they will not rot; the beams will not rot, and the rafters will not rot. It is like this example. If the mind is guarded (意以守 [yi yi shou]), the body is also guarded (身亦守 [shen yi shou]), and speech is also guarded (口亦守 [kou yi shou]), then if one's mind, body, and speech are guarded, at the time of death, one will have a wholesome death, receive wholesome rebirth, and attain a wholesome state."

[0876a04] fú gào jiā luó yuè: “yì yǐ shǒu, shēn kǒu niàn suǒ shǒu, jǐ shēn shǒu jǐ kǒu shǒu jǐ niàn shǒu, biàn shēn bù fǔ biàn shēng bù fǔ biàn niàn bù fǔ, yǐ bù fǔ shēn xíng, yǐ bù fǔ shēng xíng, yǐ bù fǔ niàn xíng, sǐ shí dé shàn sǐ dé shàn shòu dé shàn chù. pì yù, jiā luó yuè! ruò lóu ruò táng wū shàng fù gài, ruò biàn yǔ lái, zhà yì bù zì chuán yì bù zì bì yì bù zì, yǐ bù zì bì yì bù fǔ chuán yì bù fǔ zhà yì bù fǔ, rú shì pì yù. yì yǐ shǒu, shēn yì shǒu kǒu yì shǒu, jǐ yì shēn kǒu shǒu, biàn sǐ shí shàn sǐ biàn shàn shòu chí biàn dé shàn chù.”

[0876a04] fu gao jia luo yue: "yi yi shou, shen kou nian suo shou, ji shen shou ji kou shou ji nian shou, bian shen bu fu bian sheng bu fu bian nian bu fu, yi bu fu shen xing, yi bu fu sheng xing, yi bu fu nian xing, si shi de shan si de shan shou de shan chu. pi yu, jia luo yue! ruo lou ruo tang wu shang fu gai, ruo bian yu lai, zha yi bu zi chuan yi bu zi bi yi bu zi, yi bu zi bi yi bu fu chuan yi bu fu zha yi bu fu, ru shi pi yu. yi yi shou, shen yi shou kou yi shou, ji yi shen kou shou, bian si shi shan si bian shan shou chi bian de shan chu."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0876a12] The Buddha (佛 [fu]) then said:

[0876a12] fú cóng hòu shuō jué:

[0876a12] fu cong hou shuo jue:

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0876a13] "Those who do not guard their minds (不守意者 [bu shou yi zhe]) are prone to wrong views (邪疑 [xie yi]) and sloth and torpor (睡眠 [shui mian]), allowing Mara (魔 [mo]) to have control. Therefore, one should guard the mind (守意 [shou yi]). If one wishes to truly practice, one must truly see and practice. One must also know the inner and outer, not falling into sloth and torpor (睡眠 [shui mian]), and thereby cut off the root of suffering (苦本 [ku ben])."

[0876a13] “bù shǒu yì zhě, xié yí gù, yì shuì mián gù, mó biàn dé zì zài. rú shì dàn dāng shǒu yì, ruò yù dì xíng dàn dāng jiàn dì xíng, yì dāng zhī nèi chū yǐ, bù duò shuì mián, biàn dé duàn kǔ běn.”

[0876a13] "bu shou yi zhe, xie yi gu, yi shui mian gu, mo bian de zi zai. ru shi dan dang shou yi, ruo yu di xing dan dang jian di xing, yi dang zhi nei chu yi, bu duo shui mian, bian de duan ku ben."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0876a15] The Buddha (佛 [fu]) said this.

[0876a15] fú shuō rú shì.

[0876a15] fu shuo ru shi.