[165] Bhikkhus, there are these four modes of practice (paṭipadā). What four? The impatient practice (akkhamā paṭipadā), the patient practice (khamā paṭipadā), the taming practice (damā paṭipadā), and the calming practice (samā paṭipadā).
And what, bhikkhus, is the impatient practice? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is impatient with cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; with contact with gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping creatures; with ways of speech that are ill-spoken and unwelcome; he is not one who endures arisen bodily feelings (vedanā) that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. This, bhikkhus, is called the impatient practice.
And what, bhikkhus, is the patient practice? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is patient with cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; with contact with gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping creatures; with ways of speech that are ill-spoken and unwelcome; he is one who endures arisen bodily feelings that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. This, bhikkhus, is called the patient practice.
And what, bhikkhus, is the taming practice? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at its sign or grasp at its features. Since, if he were to dwell with the eye faculty unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief (abhijjhā-domanassa) might flow in upon him, he practises for its restraint; he guards the eye faculty; he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear … having smelled an odour with the nose … having tasted a flavour with the tongue … having touched a tangible object with the body … having cognized a dhamma with the mind, he does not grasp at its sign or grasp at its features. Since, if he were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might flow in upon him, he practises for its restraint; he guards the mind faculty; he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. This, bhikkhus, is called the taming practice.
And what, bhikkhus, is the calming practice? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensual pleasure; he abandons it, dispels it, calms it, terminates it, and brings it to non-existence. An arisen thought of ill will (byāpāda) … an arisen thought of harming … he does not tolerate evil, unwholesome states whenever they arise; he abandons them, dispels them, calms them, terminates them, and brings them to non-existence. This, bhikkhus, is called the calming practice.
These, bhikkhus, are the four modes of practice.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.