AN 4.14 illustrated

 

AN 4.14 Saṃvara: Restraint

(2025 SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍ )
        AN ^4.14.1 - (saṃvara: restraint of 6aya senses)
        AN ^4.14.2 - (pahāna: abandon 3 wrong thoughts ☍ 2💭 )
            AN ^4.14.2.1 - (2.1 thoughts of sensuality kāma‍)
            AN ^4.14.2.2 - (2.2 thoughts of ill-will)
            AN ^4.14.2.3 - (2.3 thoughts of harming)
            AN ^4.14.2.4 - (2.4 thoughts of evil un-skillful Dharmas)
        AN ^4.14.3 - (bhāvanā: develop 7sb☀️ )
        AN ^4.14.4 - (anu-rakkhaṇā: protect with 5siv⚰️ nimittas)

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, padhānāni.	There are four types of exertion.
	[They are the same as the four aspects of right effort in the noble eightfold path.]
Katamāni cattāri?	What are the four exertions?
Saṃvarappadhānaṃ,	[1] The exertion of restraint.
pahānappadhānaṃ,	[2] The exertion of abandoning.
bhāvanāppadhānaṃ,	[3] The exertion of development.
anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṃ.	[4] The exertion of protection.

4.14.1 - (saṃvara: restraint of 6aya senses)

Katamañca, bhikkhave, saṃvarappadhānaṃ?	And what, monks, is the exertion to restrain?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	when
cakkhunā rūpaṃ disvā	the eye sees form,
na nimittaggāhī hoti	he does not grab on to its (nimitta) sign,
nānubyañjanaggāhī.	he does not grab on to its features.
Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṃ cakkhundriyaṃ asaṃvutaṃ viharantaṃ	Because if he did not restrain the eye-faculty,
abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṃ,	avarice, distress, and evil unskillful Dharmas would invade his mind.
	[Avarice and distress is a reference to the five hindrances 5niv⛅ .]
tassa saṃvarāya paṭipajjati,	Therefore the monk practices restraint.
rakkhati cakkhundriyaṃ,	He protects the eye-faculty.
cakkhundriye saṃvaraṃ āpajjati.	He undertakes the restraint of the eye-faculty.
Sotena saddaṃ sutvā …	When they hear a sound with their ears …
ghānena gandhaṃ ghāyitvā …	When they smell an odor with their nose …
jivhāya rasaṃ sāyitvā …	When they taste a flavor with their tongue …
kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṃ phusitvā …	When they feel a touch with their body …
manasā dhammaṃ viññāya	When the mind cognizes dharma [mind-objects],
na nimittaggāhī hoti	he does not grab on to its (nimitta) sign,
nānubyañjanaggāhī,	he does not grab on to its features.
yatvādhikaraṇamenaṃ manindriyaṃ asaṃvutaṃ viharantaṃ	Because if he did not restrain the mind-faculty,
abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṃ,	avarice, distress, and evil unskillful Dharmas would invade his mind.
	[Avarice and distress is a reference to the five hindrances 5niv⛅ .]
tassa saṃvarāya paṭipajjati,	Therefore the monk practices restraint.
rakkhati manindriyaṃ,	He protects the mind-faculty.
manindriye saṃvaraṃ āpajjati.	He undertakes the restraint of the mind-faculty.
	[The restraint of the six sense faculties]
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṃvarappadhānaṃ.	is called the exertion of restraint.

4.14.2 - (pahāna: abandon 3 wrong thoughts ☍ 2💭 )

Katamañca, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṃ?	And what is the exertion of abandoning?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	[It is the abandoning of four types of wrong thought:
	three types of wrong thought that are opposite of the three right resolves 2💭 ,
	and a fourth category to cover any other types of wrong thought.]

4.14.2.1 - (2.1 thoughts of sensuality kāma‍)

uppannaṃ kāmavitakkaṃ	[At the very moment a monk notices] a thought of sensuality arising,
nādhivāseti	he does not tolerate it.
pajahati	He abandons it.
vinodeti	He removes it.
byantīkaroti	He destroys it.
anabhāvaṃ gameti;	He annihilates [that thought of sensuality].

4.14.2.2 - (2.2 thoughts of ill-will)

uppannaṃ byāpādavitakkaṃ	At the very moment a monk notices a thought of ill-will arising,
… pe …	he does not tolerate it.
	He abandons it.
	He removes it.
	He destroys it.
	He annihilates [that thought of ill-will].

4.14.2.3 - (2.3 thoughts of harming)

uppannaṃ vihiṃsāvitakkaṃ	At the very moment a monk notices a thought of harming arising,
… pe …	he does not tolerate it.
	He abandons it.
	He removes it.
	He destroys it.
	He annihilates [that thought of harming].

4.14.2.4 - (2.4 thoughts of evil un-skillful Dharmas)

uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme	At the very moment a monk notices a thought of evil un-skillful Dharmas arising,
nādhivāseti	he does not tolerate it.
pajahati	He abandons it.
vinodeti	He removes it.
byantīkaroti	He destroys it.
anabhāvaṃ gameti;	He annihilates [that thought of evil unskillful Dharma].

	[The abandoning of the 4 categories of wrong thought]
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṃ.	is called the exertion of abandoning.

4.14.3 - (bhāvanā: develop 7sb☀️ )

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṃ?	And what, monks, is the exertion to develop?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	It’s when a monk
satisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, …	develops the awakening factors of remembering [and applying the Dharma]...,
dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti…	...investigation of Dharmas...,
vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti …	...vigor...,
pītisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti …	...rapture...,
passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti …	...pacification...,
samādhisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti …	...undistractible-lucidity...,
upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti	and he develops the awakening factor of equanimous-observation,
viveka-nissitaṃ	which relies on judicious-seclusion,
virāga-nissitaṃ	relies on fading away,
nirodha-nissitaṃ	relies on cessation,
vossagga-pariṇāmiṃ.	and culminates in complete relinquishment.
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṃ.	This is called the exertion to develop.

(see illustrated primer 🔗📝 )

4.14.4 - (anu-rakkhaṇā: protect with 5siv⚰️ nimittas)

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṃ?	And what, monks, is the effort to preserve?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	It’s when a monk
uppannaṃ bhaddakaṃ samādhi-nimittaṃ anurakkhati	protects a sign of undistractible-lucidity:
aṭṭhika-saññaṃ	the perception of a skeleton,
puḷavaka-saññaṃ	….a worm-infested corpse,
vinīlaka-saññaṃ	...a livid corpse,
vicchiddaka-saññaṃ	...a split open corpse,
uddhumātaka-saññaṃ.	or the perception of a bloated corpse.

Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṃ.	This is called the exertion to protect.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri padhānānīti.	These are the four exertions.

(verse)

Saṃvaro ca pahānañca,	Restraint and abandoning,
bhāvanā anurakkhaṇā;	development and protection:
Ete padhānā cattāro,	These are the four exertions.
desitādiccabandhunā;	taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.
Yehi bhikkhu idhātāpī,	Any monk who ardently applies these
khayaṃ dukkhassa pāpuṇe”ti.	may attain the ending of suffering.”

(end of sutta⏹️)

Quiz yourself

See if you can recite the suttas using just the pictures as a cue.

1. guarding the 6 sense doors

2. Abandoning 3 wrong thoughts

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

3. Develop the 7 awakening factors

see 7sb awakening factors primer (illustrated)

4. Protecting an auspicious samādhi nimitta