A Critical Study of the Number of Fetters

Abstract

The term saṃyojana translated as a mental fetter. It means shackles a sentient being to saṃsāra. The commentary of Anguttara Nikaya defines the term saṃyojana as sabbāneva cetāni bandhanaṭṭhena saṃyojanāti veditabbā. Because of fetters that human beings bind the mind to the cycle of rebirth. The fetters are enumerated in different ways in both Sutta and Abhidhamma pitakas. Saṃyojana Sutta in dasaka nipāta of Anguttara Nikaya, shows ten fetters systematically. They are personality-belief (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), skeptical doubt (vicikicchā), clinging to mere rules and ritual (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), sensuous craving (kāma-rāga), ill-will (vyāpāda), craving for fine-material existence (rūpa-rāga), craving for immaterial existence (arūpa-rāga), conceit (māna), restlessness (uddhacca) and ignorance (avijjā). Sangīti Sutta of Dīgha Nikaya and Saṃyojana Sutta in sattaka nipāta of Anguttara Nikaya, shows seven fetters respectively, named as sensual lust (anunaya), anger (paṭigha), views (diṭṭhi), doubt, conceit, lust for existence (bhava-rāga) and ignorance. In saṃyojanagocchaka of Dhammasangani pakaraṇa, ten fetters are enumerated respectively as follow. sensual lust (kāma-rāga), anger, conceit, views, doubt, attachment to rites and rituals, lust for existence, jealousy (issā), greed (macchariya) and ignorance. According to Nalakapāna Sutta of Majjhima Nikaya and Samaṇamacala saṃyojana Sutta of Saṃyukta Nikaya, a human being who attained stream enterer cuts off the first three fetters. One cuts the first three fetters and significantly minimize lust, hatred and delusion to be a "once returner". One cuts the first five lover fetters (orambhāgiyāni samyojanāni) to be a "non-returner." But in this sutta does not speak of other five higher fetters (uddhambhāgiyāni samyojanāni) or the spiritual stage of arahant. Even though these fetters depicted in several places in the Pali canon the number of factors are remarkably different from each other. The purpose of this research paper is to examine the accurate order of these fetters with particular reference to their canonical occurrences.