The Four Bonds and Their Release
Once, the Buddha addressed a group of monks and said, “Monks, there are four bonds that keep beings trapped in suffering. What are these four bonds? They are:
- The bond of sensual pleasure,
- The bond of attachment to existence,
- The bond of opinions, and
- The bond of ignorance.”
1. The Bond of Sensual Pleasure
The Buddha continued, “Monks, what is the bond of sensual pleasure? It occurs when a person does not truly understand the nature of sensual pleasures—their arising, their passing away, their allure, their drawbacks, and how to let them go. Because of this lack of understanding, they become attached to sensual pleasures. They are overcome with passion, delight, and craving for these pleasures, which leads to attachment. This is called the ‘bond of sensual pleasure.'”
2. The Bond of Attachment to Existence
“And what is the bond of attachment to existence? It arises when a person fails to see the true nature of their existence—the arising, the passing away, the sweetness, the suffering, and how to move beyond it. Without this understanding, they become attached to the idea of continuing existence. They are consumed by the desire for life, deeply attached to being, craving and clinging to it. This is called the ‘bond of existence.'”
3. The Bond of Opinions
The Buddha then explained, “Monks, what is the bond of opinions? It appears when a person does not fully understand the nature of opinions—their arising, their fading, their appeal, their drawbacks, and how to let them go. Without this understanding, they become strongly attached to their views and beliefs. They hold on to their opinions with passion, delight, and obsession, craving for their ideas to be right. This is known as the ‘bond of opinions.'”
4. The Bond of Ignorance
Finally, the Buddha spoke about ignorance: “Monks, what is the bond of ignorance? This bond forms when a person does not comprehend the six senses—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. They do not understand how sense-contact arises, fades away, or brings both pleasure and pain. This ignorance keeps them trapped in confusion, unable to let go of misunderstanding. As a result, they are bound by the ‘bond of ignorance.'”
The Four Releases from Bondage
The Buddha then revealed the path to freedom from these bonds: “Monks, there are also four ways to break free from these bonds. What are they?
- The release from the bond of sensual pleasure,
- The release from the bond of attachment to existence,
- The release from the bond of opinions, and
- The release from the bond of ignorance.”
1. Release from Sensual Pleasure
“Monks, how can one release the bond of sensual pleasure? By clearly understanding the nature of sensual pleasures—their arising, fading away, their appeal, their dangers, and how to let them go. With this understanding, they are no longer overcome by passion or craving for sensual pleasure. This is the way to release oneself from this bond.”
2. Release from Attachment to Existence
“Similarly, the release from the bond of existence comes when a person understands the true nature of being—the way it arises, fades away, its sweetness, its pain, and how to move beyond it. This wisdom frees them from attachment to life itself. They no longer cling to the desire for existence, breaking the bond of being.”
3. Release from Opinions
“And how does one free themselves from the bond of opinions? By seeing the reality of opinions—their beginnings, their endings, their attractiveness, their harmfulness, and how to let them go. With this insight, they no longer cling to their beliefs or ideas. They are free from the craving to be right, thus breaking the bond of opinions.”
4. Release from Ignorance
The Buddha concluded, “The release from the bond of ignorance happens when a person gains true insight into the nature of the senses—how sense-contact arises and passes away, how it is sometimes delightful and sometimes painful. By fully understanding the senses and the ignorance that clouds them, they are free from misunderstanding, and they break the bond of ignorance.”
The Final Verse
The Buddha closed with a verse, summarizing the teaching:
“Bound by the bond of sensual pleasure, and the bond of existence,
Caught in the bond of opinions, and covered by ignorance,
Beings wander through the cycle of birth and death, trapped by suffering.
But those who understand the nature of these bonds—
Who let go of sensual pleasure, the craving for existence, and their opinions,
And dispel ignorance with wisdom—
These wise ones are free from all bonds, beyond the cycle of birth and death.”
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