The Chapter on Walking

AN 4.11 Walking Carasutta

"Mendicants, suppose a mendicant has a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought while walking. They tolerate it and don't give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it. Such a mendicant is said to be 'not keen or prudent, always lazy, and lacking energy' when walking.

Suppose a mendicant has a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought while standing ... sitting ... or when lying down while awake. They tolerate it and don't give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it. Such a mendicant is said to be 'not keen or prudent, always lazy, and lacking energy' when lying down while awake.

Suppose a mendicant has a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought while walking. They don't tolerate it, but give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it. Such a mendicant is said to be 'keen and prudent, always energetic and determined' when walking.

Suppose a mendicant has a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought while standing ... sitting ... or when lying down while awake. They don't tolerate it, but give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it. Such a mendicant is said to be 'keen and prudent, always energetic and determined' when lying down while awake."

Whether walking or standing,
sitting or lying down,
if you think a bad thought
to do with the domestic life,

you're on the wrong path,
lost among things that delude.
Such a mendicant is incapable
of experiencing the highest awakening.

But one who, whether standing or walking,
sitting or lying down,
has calmed their thoughts,
loving peace of mind;
such a mendicant is capable
of experiencing the highest awakening."

AN 4.12 Ethics Sīlasutta

"Mendicants, live by the ethical precepts and the monastic code. Live restrained in the monastic code, conducting yourselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, keep the rules you've undertaken. When you've done this, what more is there to do?

Suppose a mendicant has got rid of desire and ill will while walking, and has given up dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi. Such a mendicant is said to be 'keen and prudent, always energetic and determined' when walking.

Suppose a mendicant has got rid of desire and ill will while standing ... sitting ... and when lying down while awake, and has given up dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi. Such a mendicant is said to be 'keen and prudent, always energetic and determined' when lying down while awake.

Carefully walking, carefully standing,
carefully sitting, carefully lying;
a mendicant carefully bends their limbs,
and carefully extends them.

Above, below, all round,
as far as the earth extends;
they scrutinize the rise and fall
of phenomena such as the aggregates.

Training in what leads to serenity of heart,
always staying mindful;
they call such a mendicant
'always determined'."

AN 4.13 Effort Padhānasutta

"Mendicants, there are these four right efforts. What four?

A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don't arise.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development.

These are the four right efforts.

By rightly striving,
>they've crushed Māra's sovereignty;
unattached, they've gone beyond
>the peril of birth and death.
Contented and unstirred,
>they've vanquished Māra and his mount;
now they've gone beyond all Namuci's forces,
>they're happy."

AN 4.14 Restraint Saṁvarasutta

"Mendicants, there are these four efforts. What four? The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to restrain? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, they don't get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When they hear a sound with their ears ... When they smell an odor with their nose ... When they taste a flavor with their tongue ... When they feel a touch with their body ... When they know an idea with their mind, they don't get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint. This is called the effort to restrain.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to give up? It's when a mendicant doesn't tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought that's arisen, but gives it up, gets rid of it, eliminates it, and obliterates it. They don't tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. This is called the effort to give up.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to develop? It's when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. This is called the effort to develop.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to preserve? It's when a mendicant preserves a meditation subject that's a fine basis of immersion: the perception of a skeleton, a worm-infested corpse, a livid corpse, a split open corpse, or a bloated corpse. This is called the effort to preserve.

These are the four efforts.

Restraint and giving up,
development and preservation:
these are the four efforts
taught by the kinsman of the Sun.
Any mendicant who keenly applies these
may attain the ending of suffering."

AN 4.15 Regarded as Foremost Paññattisutta

"Mendicants, these four are regarded as foremost. What four? The foremost in size of incarnation is Rāhu, lord of titans. The foremost pleasure seeker is King Mandhātā. The foremost in sovereignty is Māra the Wicked. In this world---with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans---a Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha is said to be the best. These are the four regarded as foremost.

Rāhu is foremost in size of incarnation,
Mandhātā in enjoying sensual pleasures,
Māra in sovereignty,
shining with power and glory.

Above, below, all round,
as far as the earth extends;
in all the world with its gods,
the Buddha is declared foremost."

AN 4.16 Subtlety Sokhummasutta

"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of subtlety. What four?

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of form. They don't see any other subtlety of form that's better or finer than that, nor do they aim for it.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of feeling. They don't see any other subtlety of feeling that's better or finer than that, nor do they aim for it.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of perception. They don't see any other subtlety of perception that's better or finer than that, nor do they aim for it.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of choices. They don't see any other subtlety of choices that's better or finer than that, nor do they aim for it.

These are the four kinds of subtlety.

Knowing the subtlety of form,
the cause of feelings,
where perception comes from,
and where it ends;
and knowing choices as other,
as suffering and as not-self,

that mendicant sees rightly,
peaceful, in love with the state of peace.
They bear their final body,
having vanquished Māra and his mount."

AN 4.17 Prejudice (1st) Paṭhamaagatisutta

"Mendicants, there are these four ways of making prejudiced decisions. What four? Making decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. These are the four ways of making prejudiced decisions.

If you act against the teaching
out of favoritism, hostility, cowardice, or stupidity,
your fame fades away,
like the moon in the waning fortnight."

AN 4.18 Prejudice (2nd) Dutiyaagatisutta

"Mendicants, there are these four ways of making unprejudiced decisions. What four? Making decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. These are the four ways of making unprejudiced decisions.

If you don't act against the teaching
out of favoritism, hostility, cowardice, and stupidity,
your fame swells,
like the moon in the waxing fortnight."

AN 4.19 Prejudice (3rd) Tatiyaagatisutta

"Mendicants, there are these four ways of making prejudiced decisions. What four? Making decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. These are the four ways of making prejudiced decisions.

There are these four ways of making unprejudiced decisions. What four? Making decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. These are the four ways of making unprejudiced decisions.

If you act against the teaching
out of favoritism, hostility, cowardice, or stupidity,
your fame fades away,
like the moon in the waning fortnight.

If you don't act against the teaching
out of favoritism, hostility, cowardice, and stupidity,
your fame swells,
like the moon in the waxing fortnight."

AN 4.20 A Meal Designator Bhattuddesakasutta

"Mendicants, a meal designator who has four qualities is cast down to hell. What four? They make decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal designator who has these four qualities is cast down to hell.

A meal designator who has four qualities is raised up to heaven. What four? They make decisions unprejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice. A meal designator who has these four qualities is raised up to heaven.

All those people with unbridled sensuality,
unprincipled, with no respect for principle,
led astray
>by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, or cowardice,
are called 'an assembly of the dregs':

that's what was said by the ascetic who knows.
And so those praiseworthy true persons,
standing on principle, doing nothing wrong,
not led astray
>by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, or cowardice,
are called 'an assembly of the cream':
that's what was said by the ascetic who knows."