Nissāraṇīya Sutta
“Monks, there are five elements for breaking free.
What Five?
[1. Outward Attraction]
Here monks,
One reflects upon outward attraction: [1]
‘The latching mind [2]
does not rejoice,
it is not clear;
it is unsettled
and unliberated. [3]
Then, one reflects upon letting go: [4]
‘The mind that lets go rejoices,
it is clear,
established
and liberated.’[5]
Moreover, that mind is happy,
well-developed,
elevated,
emancipated
and completely unshackled
from latching on; [6]
Then, one becomes liberated
from the obsessive
and oppressive
mental movements [7] arisen from desire,
And one does not experience those sensations any longer. [8]
This is said to be breaking free
from outward desires. [9]
[2. Anger]
At some other time,
One reflects upon anger thus:
The angry mind
does not rejoice, [10]
it is not clear;
it is unsettled
and unliberated.
Then, one reflects upon freedom from aversion thus:
‘The mind freed from anger rejoices,
it is clear,
established
and liberated.’
‘Moreover, that mind is happy,
well-developed
elevated,
emancipated
and completely unshackled
from anger.’
Then, one is freed
from the obsessive
and oppressive
mental movements arisen from anger
And one does not experience those sensations any longer.
This is said to be breaking free
from aversion.
[3. Harming]
Once again monks,
One reflects upon harmfulness thus:[11]
‘The harmful mind
does not rejoice, [12]
it is not clear;
it is unsettled
and unliberated.
Then, one reflects upon harmlessness thus:
‘The harmless mind rejoices,
it is clear,
established
and liberated.’
‘Moreover, that mind is happy,
well-developed,
elevated,
emancipated
and completely unshackled
from harming.’
Then, one is freed
from the obsessive
and oppressive
mental movements arisen from harmfulness,
and one does not experience these sensations any longer.
This is said to be breaking free
from harming. [13]
[4. Form]
Once again monks,
One reflects upon form thus:
‘The forming mind
does not rejoice,
It is not clear;
It is unsettled
And unliberated.’
Then, one reflects upon the formless thus:
‘The formless mind rejoices,
it is clear,
established
and liberated.
‘Moreover, that mind is happy,
Well-developed,
Elevated,
Emancipated,
And completely unshackled
from forming.’
Then, one is freed
from the obsessive
and oppressive
mental movements arisen from form,
and one does not experience these sensatons any longer.
This is said to be breaking free
from form.
[5. Identity]
Once again monks,
One reflects upon personal identification thus:
‘The identity mind
does not rejoice [14]
it is not clear;
it is unsettled
and unliberated.
Then one reflects upon the fading away of identity thus:
‘The mind void of identification rejoices
It is clear,
Established
And liberated.’
‘Moreover, that mind is happy,
well-developed,
elevated,
emancipated,
and beautifully unshackled
from identity.’
Then, one is freed
from the obsessive
and oppressive
mental movements arisen out of personal identification,
and one does not experience these sensations any longer.
This is said to be breaking free
from identity.
[Mental Inclinations]
Then, one’s mind
does not rest upon the happiness of desires,[15]
It does not rest upon the happiness of anger,
It does not rest upon the happiness of harmfulness,
It does not rest upon the happiness of form,
It does not rest upon the happiness of identity.
Then, one is
not bent upon the happiness of desires, [16]
not bent upon the happiness of anger,
not bent upon the happiness of harmfulness,
not bent upon the happiness of form,
not bent upon the happiness of identity.
This is called a monk who is without inclinations. [17]
He has cut away tension, [18]
Broken out of the shackles,
Perfectly gone beyond conceit
and put an end to trouble.
These, monks, are the five elements for breaking free.
[1] kāmaṃ manasikaroto
[2] Kāmesu Cittaṃ: This is the “taking” mind, the “wanting” mind, for external things.
[3] kāmesu cittaṃ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati.
[4] Nekkhamma: Letting go, not taking on, also could be transl. as contentment. But ‘nekkhamma’ also means ‘ni+kāma’ (khamma) according to PED. The classical translation as ‘relinquishing’ is perhaps not so wrong but a little dusty and obscure. This nekkhamma is another way of describing the qualities of the first jhāna. ‘Vivicc’eva kāmehi’ as ‘quite removed from the senses, or letting go or disengaging from them.’
[5] nekkhamme cittaṃ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati.
[6] Tassa taṃ cittaṃ sugataṃ subhāvitaṃ suvuṭṭhitaṃ suvimuttaṃ suvisaṃyuttaṃ kāmehi; We find here another interesting location and use for the word ‘Sugata.’
[7] Āsava: Mental torrents, deluge, flood.
[8] ye ca kāmapaccayā uppajjanti āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, mutto so tehi, na so taṃ vedanaṃ vediyati.
[9] This vividly demonstrate the progress of an Ariyan follower through wisdom. Discerning wholesome states from unwholesome states with remarkable clarity and accuracy. Understanding the harmful, unstable nature of unwholesome states and the blissful stability in wholesome ones. Wise understanding of the four Ariyan truths directed towards wise effort in cultivating wholesome mental habits, the quintessence of the Buddha’s Teaching.
[10] Abyāpādaṃ
[11] vihesaṃ manasikaroto: Vengeance, retaliating mind.
[12] vihesāya cittaṃ
[13] These are progressive instructions in developing wholesome mental states (Bhāvanā) in meditation (Samādhi).
The first three are related to the three wise intentions (Sammā Sankappa) as foundation to develop which are also the main hindrances (nivarana). Then the fourth, form, is going beyond the four jhānas. Then the fifth, identity, is for the complete fading of harm.
[14] sakkāyaṃ manasikaroto sakkāye cittaṃ na pakkhandati
[15] Kāmanandīpi nānuseti
[16] Kāmanandiyāpi ananusayā
[17] Niranusayo
[18] Taṇhā
