Reference on "clinging to thought characteristics"?

[Sati1]

Dear Dhamma Friends,

I am looking for the reference to the sutta in which the Buddha asks us "to refrain from clinging to either the major signs or the minor characteristics of thought", which I can't seem to find... Does anybody know which one this would be?

Many thanks in advance,

Sati1

[Mkoll]

The first thing that comes to mind is the stock formula for sense-restraint.

Venerable Bodhi:

“On seeing a form with the eye, he does not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the eye faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he practises the way of its restraint, he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. On hearing a sound with the ear … On smelling an odour with the nose … On tasting a flavour with the tongue … On touching a tangible with the body … On cognizing a mind-object with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the mind faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he practises the way of its restraint, [181] he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty.

Venerable Thanissaro:

On seeing a form with the eye, he does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. On hearing a sound with the ear... On smelling an odor with the nose... On tasting a flavor with the tongue... On touching a tactile sensation with the body... On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him.

[paul]

“And how, Sire, is he a guardian of the sense-doors? Here a monk, on seeing a visible object with the eye, does not grasp at its major signs or secondary characteristics. Because greed and sorrow, evil unskilled states, would overwhelm him if he dwelt leaving this eye-faculty unguarded, so he practises guarding it, he protects the eye-faculty, develops restraint of the eye-faculty. On hearing a sound with the ear, ... on smelling an odour with the nose, ... on tasting a flavour with the tongue,...on feeling an object with the body,...on thinking a thought with the mind, he does not grasp at its major signs or secondary characteristics, ... he develops restraint of the mind-faculty. He experiences within himself the blameless bliss that comes from maintaining this Ariyan guarding of the faculties. In this way, Sire, a monk is a guardian of the sense-doors.”—-DN 2

Thanissaro on restraint of the senses:
https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Wri ... traint.pdf

[thomaslaw]

A similar teaching of 'one who guards the sense-doors' (indriyesu guttadvaaro) is also found in SN 35.198 and SN 35.120 (cf. Choong Mun-keat, The Fundamental Teachings of Early Buddhism, pp. 97-98).

Thomas

[Sati1]

Dear Mkoll, Paul and Thomas,

that's it! Thank you so much for the references.

Best wishes,

Sati1