Short teachings contrasting the untamed and the tamed mind.

AN 1.31-40  Adanta vagga - The Chapter on the Untamed

1.31

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ adantaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, adantaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |untamed::untrained, unrestrained, wild [adanta]|, leads to such great harm as the mind. An untamed mind, bhikkhus, leads to great harm.”

1.32

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ dantaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, dantaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |tamed::trained, mastered [danta]|, leads to such great benefit as the mind. A tamed mind, bhikkhus, leads to great benefit.”

1.33

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ aguttaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, aguttaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |unguarded::unprotected, not kept watch over [agutta]|, leads to such great harm as the mind. An unguarded mind, bhikkhus, leads to great harm.”

1.34

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ guttaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, guttaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |guarded::protected, kept watch over [gutta]|, leads to such great benefit as the mind. A guarded mind, bhikkhus, leads to great benefit.”

1.35

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ arakkhitaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, arakkhitaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |unprotected::unguarded [arakkhita]|, leads to such great harm as the mind. An unprotected mind, bhikkhus, leads to great harm.”

1.36

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ rakkhitaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhitaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |protected::guarded [rakkhita]|, leads to such great benefit as the mind. A protected mind, bhikkhus, leads to great benefit.”

1.37

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ asaṁvutaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, asaṁvutaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |unrestrained::uncontrolled, unguarded [asaṁvuta]|, leads to such great harm as the mind. An unrestrained mind, bhikkhus, leads to great harm.”

1.38

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ saṁvutaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁvutaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when |restrained::controlled, moderated [saṁvuta]|, leads to such great benefit as the mind. A restrained mind, bhikkhus, leads to great benefit.”

1.39

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ adantaṁ aguttaṁ arakkhitaṁ asaṁvutaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, adantaṁ aguttaṁ arakkhitaṁ asaṁvutaṁ mahato anatthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained, leads to such great harm as the mind. A mind that is untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained, bhikkhus, leads to great harm.”

1.40

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ dantaṁ guttaṁ rakkhitaṁ saṁvutaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattati yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, dantaṁ guttaṁ rakkhitaṁ saṁvutaṁ mahato atthāya saṁvattatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single thing that, when tamed, guarded, protected, and restrained, leads to such great benefit as the mind. A mind that is tamed, guarded, protected, and restrained, bhikkhus, leads to great benefit.”

Qualities:

Non-harm

Non-harm

The intention of harmlessness, rooted in the understanding that all beings tremble at violence and fear death.

Also known as: non-violence, non-injury, harmlessness, non-killing, non-hurting
Pāli: avihiṃsā, ahiṁsa
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Self-control

Self-control

A quality of mastering one’s impulses and responses through restraint.

Also known as: self-restraint, self-mastery
Pāli: saṃvara, saññata, saṃvuta
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Tame

Tame

The quality of a mind that has been trained and disciplined, no longer wild or controlled by passions. Like a tamed thoroughbred, it is pliable, responsive, and fit for work.

Also known as: trained, mastered, subdued
Pāli: danta
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Adventurousness

Adventurousness

A restless, thrill-seeking bent of mind that delights in novelty and roaming rather than in restraint. When untrained, it pulls one outward to stimulation and risk, making it hard to settle, listen, or practice steadily.

Also known as: audacious, bold, wild, unrestrained, untamed, with wanderlust
Pāli: adanta
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Non-restraint

Non-restraint

Failure to guard the sense doors. It occurs when attention chases after the signs and features of sense objects, allowing craving and aversion to invade the mind.

Also known as: unguarded in sense faculties, not watching the sense doors, grasping at prominent features or details of sense objects
Pāli: asaṁvara, asaṁyama
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Last updated on December 3, 2025