Many people tend to believe that the Ten-fetters are the Ten-fetters arising in our mind.
Do you know that Venerable Māluṅkyaputta got reprimanded by the Omniscient One since he believed it in that way?
Mahāmālukyasutta:
“Mendicants, do you remember the five lower fetters that I taught?”When he said this, Venerable Māluṅkyaputta said to him, “Sir, I remember them.”
“But how do you remember them?”
“I remember the lower fetters taught by the Buddha as follows: identity view, doubt, misapprehension of precepts and observances, sensual desire, and ill will. That’s how I remember the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha.”
Venerable Māluṅkyaputta answered as usual. Then the Supreme One reprimanded.
“Who on earth do you remember being taught the five lower fetters in that way? Wouldn’t the wanderers who follow other paths fault you using the simile of the infant? For a little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘identity’, so how could identity view possibly arise in them? Yet the underlying tendency to identity view still lies within them.
A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘teachings’, so how could doubt about the teachings possibly arise in them? Yet the underlying tendency to doubt still lies within them. A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘precepts’, so how could misapprehension of precepts and observances possibly arise in them? Yet the underlying tendency to misapprehension of precepts and observances still lies within them.
A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘sensual pleasures’, so how could desire for sensual pleasures possibly arise in them? Yet the underlying tendency to sensual desire still lies within them. A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘sentient beings’, so how could ill will for sentient beings possibly arise in them? Yet the underlying tendency to ill will still lies within them.
Wouldn’t the wanderers who follow other paths fault you using the simile of the infant?”
The Buddha asked “Wouldn’t the wanderers fault you, If you believe it in that way?”
Even though an infant doesn’t even have a concept of ‘identity’ , the latent-tendency to identity view still lies within. This Latent-kilesa is the Fetter.
The Atthakata describes it in more deail.
Saṃyojanā (Fetters) means bonds. Anuseti (underlying/ latent) means underlying due to Appahīnatā (un-elimination). Underlying (being latent) is called as Saṃyojana.
Here what the Bhagavā asked is Saṃyojana. What the Thera answered is also Saṃyojana. Even though it is so, the Bhagavā found fault in his view. Why is that? Thera was having such a view. This is his view: “One is having kilesas only in the arising-moment, not in other moments”. This is why the Bhagavā blamed him.
Then Venerable Ananada thought - “Bhagavā has began this sermon, by his nature, thinking that I will preach dhamma to Bhikkhusangha, which was broken by this unwise monk. Therefore I will request to preach dhamma to Bhikkhusangha.”
Then the sutta continues.
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! May the Buddha teach the five lower fetters. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”
“Well then, Ānanda, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
It is worth to re-read MN64 and comment here.