➥ baddha:

• for baddha:
  • locked up
  • bound
  • tied up
  • confined
  • held captive
  • emotionally bound
  • bound [to individual existence]

Baddha: bound [to individual existence]

We explain how baddha means ‘bound [to individual existence]’ via two passages.

Passage 1: baddho so mārabandhanena, bound [to individual existence] by Māra’s bond

Baddho so mārabandhanena occurs in this passage:

• There are visible objects known via the visual sense that are likeable, loveable, pleasing, agreeable, connected with sensuous pleasure, and charming. If a bhikkhu takes delight in them, welcomes them, persists in cleaving to them, this is called a bhikkhu who has entered Māra’s lair, who has come under Māra’s control, who is trapped in Māra’s snare, who is bound [to individual existence] by Māra’s bond. The Maleficent One can do with him as he wishes.

Santi bhikkhave cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave bhikkhu āvāsagato mārassa mārassa vasaṅgato paṭimukkassa mārapāso baddho so mārabandhanena yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato. (SN iv 92)

Māra’s bond is mārabandhana (SN i 24; SN iv 92) or mārasaṁyoga (Snp 733). Māra’s bond means bondage [to individual existence], as this quote shows:

• Having overcome Māra’s tie [that ties one to renewed states of individual existence], they do not come to renewed states of individual existence.

Abhibhuyya mārasaṁyogaṁ nāgacchanti punabbhavan ti. (Snp 733)

Therefore baddho so mārabandhanena, means ‘bound [to individual existence] by Māra’s bond.’

Passage 2: mohena baddhā, bound [to individual existence] by undiscernment of reality

Mohena baddhā occurs in this passage:

• Attached to charming things; taking delight in what is agreeable; vile creatures bound [to individual existence] by undiscernment of reality, reinforce that bondage.

sārattā rajanīyesu piyarūpābhinandino
Mohena adhamā sattā baddhā vaḍḍhenti bandhanaṁ. (AN ii 72)

That baddhā means bound [to individual existence] is proven by its association with bandhanaṁ. That bandhana means bondage [to individual existence] can be shown in three ways:

1) It is sometimes explicit:

• Through understanding your teaching they severed the bondage to individual existence.

Yassa te dhammamaññāya acchiduṁ bhavabandhanaṁ. (SN i 35)

2) Sometimes the meaning is conveyed through its association with words like saṁyojana:

• Like the elephant that bursts all its fastenings and chains, they severed the ties and bonds [to individual existence] in the sensuous plane of existence, those ties of the Maleficent One so hard to overcome.

Te kāmasaṁyojanabandhanāni pāpimayogāni duraccayāni nāgoca sandānaguṇāni chetvā. (DN ii 274)

3) Sometimes, the context implies it. For example here, where its link to bhava is proven by its link to taṇhā:

• Craving you call bondage [to individual existence].

taṇhaṁ me brūsi bandhanan ti. (SN i 8)

• Craving that leads to renewed states of individual existence

taṇhā ponobhavikā. (SN iii 26)

Therefore mohena baddhā means ‘bound [to individual existence] by undiscernment of reality.’

➥ baddho: (main article see: baddha)

Illustration: baddho, locked up

As if a man were locked up in prison, and later were released

Seyyathā pi mahārāja puriso bandhanāgāre baddho assa so aparena samayena tamhā bandhanāgārā mucceyya. (DN i 72)

➥ baddhā: (main article see: baddha)

Illustration: baddhā, bound

The Tāvatiṁsa devas, Yāmā devas, Tusita devas, Nimmānaratī devas, and Paranimmitavasavattī devas: they are still bound [to individual existence] in the sensuous plane of existence. They come again under Māra’s control.

Tāvatiṁsā ca yāmā ca tusitā cāpi devatā
Nimmānaratino devā ye devā vasavattino
Kāmabandhanabaddhā te enti māravasaṁ puna. (SN i 133)

Illustration: baddhā, bound

Those royal bull elephants, bound by strong thongs and bonds in the villages, towns, and capital cities, burst and break those bonds.

Yepi te bhikkhave rañño nāgā gāmanigamarājadhānīsu daḷhehi varattehi bandhanehi baddhā tepi tāni bandhanāni sañchinditvā sampadāḷetvā. (AN ii 33)

Illustration: baddho, tied up

The unbroken colt, Sandha, when tied up at the feeding trough mopes ‘Fodder! Fodder!’

Assakhaluṅko hi sandha doṇiyā baddho yavasaṁ yavasanti jhāyati. (AN v 323)

➥ abaddho: (main article see: baddha)

Illustration: abaddho, unconfined

An unconfined deer in the forest goes where it wishes for pasture

Migo araññamhi yathā abaddho yenicchakaṁ gacchati gocarāya. (Snp 39)

Illustration: baddho, held captive

Being held captive, he does not eat a morsel.

Baddho kabalaṁ na bhuñjati. (Dhp 324)

Illustration: baddho, held captive

By taking delight in bodily form one is held captive by Māra. By not taking delight in it one is freed from the Maleficent One.

Rūpaṁ kho bhante abhinandamāno baddho mārassa anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato. (SN iii 75)

Illustration: baddho, held captive

By grasping bodily form one is held captive by Māra. By not grasping, one is freed from the Maleficent One.

Rūpaṁ kho bhante upādiyamāno baddho mārassa anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. (SN iii 74)

Illustration: baddho, not held captive

Bhikkhus, one for whom attachment, hatred, and undiscernment of reality has been abandoned is said to be not held captive by Māra. He is free of Māra’s snare. The Maleficent One cannot do with him as he wishes.

Yassa kassaci bhikkhave rāgo pahīno doso pahīno moho pahīno ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave abaddho mārassa omukkassa mārapāso. Na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato ti. (Iti 56)

Illustration: baddhā, emotionally bound

Those fettered by desire, emotionally bound to the pleasures of individual existence, are not easily liberated, and indeed are not liberated except in relation to such ties.

Icchānidānā bhavasātabaddhā te duppamuñcā na hi aññamokkhā. (Snp 773)

Illustration: baddho, emotionally bound

There are among humans no sensuous pleasures that are lasting. Here there are attractive things. When one is emotionally bound to these…

Na santi kāmā manujesu niccā santīdha kamanīyāni yesu baddho

Negligently applied [to the practice] in their midst, one does not reach the state of non-returning to the realm of death.

Yesu pamatto apunāgamanaṁ anāgantā puriso maccudheyyā ti. (SN i 22)

➥ baddhānaṁ: (main article see: baddha)

Illustration: baddhānaṁ, bound [to individual existence]

Yearning [for an answer], I approach with a question on behalf of the many here who are bound [to individual existence].

Bahūnamidha baddhānaṁ atthi pañhena āgamaṁ. (Snp 957)