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.”

1.31

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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.

“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.

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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