Higher Fetters, Etc.

“Mendicants, there are five higher fetters.

What five?

Desire for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, desire for rebirth in the formless realm, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance.

These are the five higher fetters.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters.

What four?

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

mind …

principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

These four kinds of mindfulness meditation should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these five higher fetters.”

(The Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation should be told in full as in the Linked Discourses on the Path. These ten discourses correspond to SN 45.171–179, with the above as the final discourse.)

Floods, yokes, grasping,

ties, and underlying tendencies,

kinds of sensual stimulation, hindrances,

aggregates, and fetters high and low.

The Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation, the third section.