[144] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāketa, in the Tikaṇḍakī Grove. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"It is good (sādhu), bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the repulsive (paṭikkūla) in what is unrepulsive. It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in what is repulsive. It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the repulsive in both what is unrepulsive and what is repulsive. It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in both what is repulsive and what is unrepulsive. It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu from time to time, avoiding both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, to dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending.
"And in dependence on what benefit, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu dwell perceiving the repulsive in what is unrepulsive? 'May no lust (rāga) arise in me toward things that provoke lust' — it is in dependence on this benefit, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu should dwell perceiving the repulsive in what is unrepulsive.
"And in dependence on what benefit, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in what is repulsive? 'May no hatred arise in me toward things that provoke hatred' — it is in dependence on this benefit, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu should dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in what is repulsive.
"And in dependence on what benefit, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu dwell perceiving the repulsive in both what is unrepulsive and what is repulsive? 'May no lust arise in me toward things that provoke lust; may no hatred arise in me toward things that provoke hatred' — it is in dependence on this benefit, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu should dwell perceiving the repulsive in both what is unrepulsive and what is repulsive.
"And in dependence on what benefit, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in both what is repulsive and what is unrepulsive? 'May no hatred arise in me toward things that provoke hatred; may no lust arise in me toward things that provoke lust' — it is in dependence on this benefit, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu should dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in both what is repulsive and what is unrepulsive.
"And in dependence on what benefit, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu, avoiding both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending? 'May no lust arise in me anywhere, in any respect, even to the slightest degree, toward things that provoke lust; may no hatred arise in me anywhere, in any respect, even to the slightest degree, toward things that provoke hatred; may no delusion arise in me anywhere, in any respect, even to the slightest degree, toward things that provoke delusion' — it is in dependence on this benefit, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu, avoiding both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, should dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending."
End of the Fourth Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.