MN#148
The Six Sets of Six
Chachakka Sutta
Dhamma talk presented at Joshua Tree, Ca, 23-Feb-06
By Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi
BV: Ok, before we get started on the talk, I have to let you know
that this is a very powerful talk and sometimes my mind goes very deep
and I lose being able to talk for a little while. It’s happened a few
times. So if it happens, just bear with me. It’s really strange when it
happens. (1)
Now, I’m going to be reading this entire sutta, and you can follow
along. Keep your mind very attentive to what I’m saying. Don’t allow
your mind to say: "Oh, he’s just repeating more of the same stuff, and
then let your mind float. Stay very attentive with this, and you will
gain a lot of benefit from it, this is a very, very special sutta.
SUTTA
1] "Thus have
I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthi in
Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍdika’s Park. There he addressed the monks thus:
"Monks." - "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this:
2]
"Monks, I shall teach you the Dhamma that is good in the
beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right
meaning and phrasing; I shall reveal a holy life that is utterly perfect
and pure, that is, the six sets of six. Listen and attend closely to
what I shall say." - "Yes, venerable sir," the monks replied. The
Blessed One said this:
(Synopsis)
3] "The six internal bases should be understood. The six external
bases should be understood. The six classes of consciousness should be
understood. The six classes of contact should be understood. The six
classes of feeling should be understood. The six classes of craving
should be understood.
(Enumeration)
4] (i) " ‘The six internal bases should be understood.’ So it was
said. And with reference to what was this said? There are the eye-base,
the ear-base, the nose-base, the tongue-base, the body-base, and the
mind-base. So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘The six
internal bases should be understood.’ This is the first set of six.
5] (ii) " ‘The six external bases should be understood.’ So it
was said. And with reference to what was this said? There are the
form-base, the sound-base, the odor-base, the flavor-base, the
tangible-base, and the mind-object-base. So it was with reference to this that
it was said: ‘The six external bases should be understood.’ This is the
second set of six.
6] (iii) " ‘The six classes of consciousness should be
understood.’ So it was said. And with reference to what was this said?
Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; dependent on
the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; dependent on the nose and
odors; nose-consciousness arises, dependent on the tongue and flavors,
tongue-consciousness arises; dependent on the body and tangibles,
body-consciousness arises; dependent on the mind and mind objects,
mind-consciousness arises. So it was with reference to this that it was
said: ‘The six classes of consciousness should be understood.’ This is
the third set of six.
7] (iv) " ‘The six classes of contact should be understood." So
it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Dependent on the
eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
eye-contact. Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises;
the meeting of the three is ear-contact. Dependent on the nose and odors,
nose-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is nose-contact.
Dependent on the tongue and flavors, tongue-consciousness arises; the
meeting of the three is tongue-contact. Dependent on the body and
tangibles, body-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
body-contact. Dependent on the mind and mind objects, mind-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is mind-contact. So it was with
reference to this that it was said: ‘The six classes of contact should
be understood.’ This is the fourth set of six.
8] (v) " ‘The six classes of feeling should be understood.’ So it
was said. And with reference to what was this said? Dependent on the eye
and forms, eye-consciousness arises; with the meeting of the three there
is eye-contact; with eye-contact as condition there is eye-feeling.
Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; with the
meeting of the three there is ear-contact; with ear-contact as condition
there is ear-feeling. Dependent on the nose and odors,
nose-consciousness arises; with the meeting of the three there is
nose-contact; with nose-contact as condition there is nose-feeling.
Dependent on the tongue and flavors, tongue-consciousness arises; with
the meeting of the three there is tongue-contact; with tongue-contact as
condition there is tongue-feeling. Dependent on the body and tangibles,
body-consciousness arises; with the meeting of the three there is
body-contact; with body-contact as condition there is body-feeling.
Dependent on the mind and mind objects, mind-consciousness arises; with
the meeting of the three there is mind-contact; with mind-contact as
condition there is mind-feeling. So it was with reference to this that
it was said: ‘The six classes of feeling should be understood.’ This is
the fifth set of six.
9] (vi) " ‘The six classes of craving should be understood.’ So
it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Dependent on the
eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
eye-contact; with eye-contact as condition there is eye-feeling; with
eye-feeling as condition there is eye-craving. Dependent on the ear and
sounds, ear-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
ear-contact; with ear-contact as condition there is ear-feeling; with
ear-feeling as condition there is ear-craving. Dependent on the nose and
odors, nose-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
nose-contact; with nose-contact as condition there is nose-feeling; with
nose-feeling as condition there is nose-craving. Dependent on the tongue
and flavors, tongue-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is
tongue-contact; with tongue-contact as condition there is
tongue-feeling; with tongue-feeling as condition there is
tongue-craving. Dependent on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness
arises. The meeting of the three is body-contact; with body-contact as
condition there is body-feeling; with body-feeling as condition there is
body-craving. Dependent on mind and mind object, mind-consciousness
arises. The meeting of the three is mind-contact; with mind-contact as
condition there is mind-feeling; with mind-feeling as condition there is
mind-craving. So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘The
six classes of craving should be understood.’ This is the sixth set of
six.
(Demonstration of not self)
10] (i) "If anyone says, ‘The eye is self,’ that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of the eye is seen and understood, and
since its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises
and falls.’ That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘The eye
is self.’ Thus the eye is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘eye-forms are self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of forms are seen and understood, and since their rise and
fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘eye-forms are self.’ Thus
the eye is not self, forms are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘eye-consciousness is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of eye-consciousness is seen and understood, and since
its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and
falls.’ That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say,
‘eye-consciousness is self.’ Thus eye is not self, forms are not self,
eye-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘eye-contact is self,’ that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of eye-contact is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘eye-contact is self’.
Thus eye is not self, forms are not self, eye-consciousness is not self,
eye-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, "eye-feeling is self", that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of the eye-feeling is seen and understood, and since its
rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’
That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say ‘eye-feeling is
self’. Thus the eye is not self, forms are not self, eye-consciousness
is not self, eye-contact is not self, eye-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘eye-craving is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of eye-craving is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow, ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say ‘eye-craving is self’.
Thus eye is not self, forms are not self, eye-consciousness is not self,
eye-contact is not self, eye-feeling is not self, eye-craving is not
self.
11]
(ii) "If anyone says, ‘ear is self’’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of the ear is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘The ear is self.’ Thus
the ear is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘sounds are self,’ that is not acceptable. The rise
and fall of sounds are seen and understood, and since their rise and
fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘sounds are self.’ Thus the
ear is not self, sounds are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘ear-consciousness is self’’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of ear-consciousness is seen and
understood, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow:
‘My self rises and falls.’ That is why it is not acceptable for anyone
to say, ‘ear-consciousness is self.’ Thus the ear is not self, sounds
are not self, ear-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘ear-contact is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of ear-contact is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘ear-contact is self.’
Thus the ear is not self, sounds are not self, ear-consciousness is not
self, ear-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘ear-feeling is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of ear-feeling is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘ear-feeling is self’.
Thus the ear is not self, sounds are not self, ear-consciousness is not
self, ear-contact is not self, ear-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘ear-craving is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of ear-craving is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘ear-craving is self’. Thus
the ear is not self, sounds are not self, ear-consciousness is not self,
ear-contact is not self, ear-feeling is not self, ear-craving is not
self.
12] (iii) "If anyone says, ‘nose is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of the nose is seen and understood, and
since its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and
falls’. That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘The nose is
self’. Thus the nose is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘odors are self’, that is not acceptable. The rise
and fall of odors are seen and understood, and since their rise and fall
are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is why it is
not acceptable for any one to say, ‘odors are self’. Thus the nose is
not self, odors are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘nose-consciousness is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of nose-consciousness is seen and
understood, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My
self rises and falls’. That is why it is not acceptable for any one to
say, ‘nose-consciousness is self’. Thus the nose is not self, odors are
not self, nose-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘nose-contact is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of nose-contact is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is
why it is not acceptable for any one to say, ‘nose-contact is self’.
Thus the nose is not self, odors are not self, nose-consciousness is not
self, nose-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘nose-feeling is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of nose-feeling is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, nose-feeling is self’. Thus
nose is not self, odors are not self, nose-consciousness is not self,
nose-contact is not self, nose-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says ‘nose-craving is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of nose-craving is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘nose-craving is self’. Thus
nose is not self, odors are not self, nose-consciousness is not self,
nose-contact is not self, nose-feeling is not self, nose-craving is not
self.
13]
(iv) "If anyone says, ‘The tongue is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of the tongue is seen and understood, and
since its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and
falls.’ That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘The tongue
is self.’ Thus the tongue is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘flavors are self’, that is not acceptable. The rise
and fall of flavors are seen and understood, and since their rise and
fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That is why
it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘flavors are self.’ Thus the
tongue is not self, flavors are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘tongue-consciousness is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall o f tongue-consciousness is seen and
understood, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My
self rises and falls.’ That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to
say, ‘tongue-consciousness is self’. Thus the tongue is not self,
flavors are not self, tongue-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘tongue-contact is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of tongue-contact is seen and understood, and since
its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls.’
That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘tongue-contact is
self’. Thus the tongue is not self, flavors are not self,
tongue-consciousness is not self, tongue-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘tongue-feeling is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of tongue-feeling is seen and understood, and since
its rise and fall are discerned, it follows: ‘My self rises and falls’.
That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘tongue-feeling is
self’. Thus tongue is not self, flavors are not self,
tongue-consciousness is not self, tongue-contact is not self,
tongue-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘tongue-craving is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of tongue-craving is seen and understood, and since
its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and
falls’. That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say,
‘tongue-craving is self’. Thus the tongue is not self, flavors are not
self, tongue-consciousness is not self, tongue-contact is not self,
tongue-feeling is not self, tongue-craving is not self.
14] (v) "If anyone says, ‘body is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of the body is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘body is self’. Thus the
body is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘Tangibles are self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of tangibles are seen and understood, and since their rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘Tangibles are self’.
Thus the body is not self, tangibles are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘body-consciousness is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of body-consciousness is seen and
understood, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow:
‘My self rises and falls’. That is why it is not acceptable for anyone
to say, ‘body-consciousness is self’. Thus the body is not self,
tangibles are not self, body-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘body-contact is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of body-contact is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘body-contact is self’.
Thus the body is not self, tangibles are not self, body-consciousness is
not self, body-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, body-feeling is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of body-feeling is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘body-feeling is self’.
Thus the body is not self, tangibles are not self, body-consciousness is
not self, body-contact is not self, body-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘body-craving is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of body-craving is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘body-craving is self’.
Thus the body is not self, tangibles are not self, body-consciousness is
not self, body-contact is not self, body-feeling is not self,
body-craving is not self.
15]
(vi) "If anyone says, ‘Mind is self’, that is not acceptable.
The rise and fall of mind is seen and understood, and since its rise and
fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That is
why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘Mind is self’. Thus mind is
not self.
"If anyone says, ‘Mind-objects are self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of mind-objects are seen and understood, and since their
rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’.
That is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘Mind-objects are
self’. Thus mind is not self, mind-objects are not self.
"If anyone says, ‘mind-consciousness is self’, that is not
acceptable. The rise and fall of mind-consciousness is seen and
understood, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow:
‘My self rises and falls’. That is why it is not acceptable for anyone
to say, ‘mind-consciousness is self’. Thus mind is not self,
mind-objects are not self, mind-consciousness is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘mind-contact is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of mind-contact is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘mind-contact is self’.
Thus mind is not self, mind-objects are not self, mind-consciousness is
not self, mind-contact is not self.
"If anyone says, ‘mind-feeling is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of mind-feeling is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘mind-feeling is self’.
Thus mind is not self, mind-objects are not self, mind-consciousness is
not self, mind-contact is not self, mind-feeling is not self.
"If anyone says, "mind-craving is self’, that is not acceptable. The
rise and fall of mind-craving is seen and understood, and since its rise
and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls’. That
is why it is not acceptable for anyone to say, ‘mind-craving is self’.
Thus mind is not self, mind-objects are not self, mind-consciousness is
not self, mind-contact is not self, mind-feeling is not self,
mind-craving is not self.
(The origination of identity)
16] "Now, monks, this is the way leading to the origination of
identity. One regards the eye thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my
self.’ One regards forms thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my
self. One regards eye-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this
is my self.’ One regards eye-contact thus: ‘This is mine, this I am,
this is my self.’ One regards eye-feeling thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self.’ One regards eye-craving thus: ‘This is mine, this
I am, this is my self.’
17] "One regards the ear thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self.’ One regards sounds thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my
self.’ One regards ear-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am,
this is my self.’ One regards ear-contact thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self. One regards ear-feeling thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self.’ One regards ear-craving thus: ‘This is mine, this
I am, this is my self.’
18] "One regards the nose thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self.’ One regards odors thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my
self’. One regards nose-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am,
this is my self’. One regards nose-contact thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self’. One regards nose-feeling thus: ‘This is mine, this
I am, this is my self’. One regards nose-craving thus: ‘This is mine,
this I am, this is my self’.
19] "One regards the tongue thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this
is my self’. One regards flavors thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self’. One regards tongue-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self’. One regards tongue-contact thus: ‘This is mine,
this I am, this is my self’. One regards tongue-feeling thus: ‘This is
mine, this I am, this is my self’. One regards tongue-craving thus:
‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’.
20] "One regards the body thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self’. One regards tangibles thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self’. One regards body-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am,
this is my self’. One regards body-contact thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self’. One regards body-feeling thus: ‘This is mine, this
I am, this is my self’. One regards body-craving thus: ‘This is mine,
this I am, this is my self’.
21] "One regards mind thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my
self’. One regards mind-objects thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is
my self’. One regards mind-consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am,
this is my self’. One regards mind-contact thus: ‘This is mine, this I
am, this is my self’. One regards mind-feeling thus: ‘This is mine, this
I am, this is my self’. One regards mind-craving thus: ‘This is mine,
this I am, this is my self’.
(The Cessation of Identity)
22] "Now, monks, this is the way leading to the cessation of
identity. (i) One regards the eye thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am
not, this is not my self’. One regards forms thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards eye-consciousness thus:
‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards
eye-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my
self’. One regards eye-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards eye-craving thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’.
23] "One regards the ear thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards sounds thus: ‘This is not mine, this I
am not, this is not my self’. One regards ear-consciousness thus: ‘This
is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards
ear-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my
self’. One regards ear-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards ear-craving thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’.
24] "One regards the nose thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards odors thus: ‘This is not mine, this I
am not, this is not my self’. One regards nose-consciousness thus: ‘This
is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards
nose-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my
self’. One regards nose-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards nose-craving thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’.
25] "One regards the tongue thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am
not, this is not my self’. One regards flavors thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards tongue-consciousness
thus: "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One
regards tongue-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is
not my self’. One regards tongue-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I
am not, this is not my self.’ One regards tongue-craving thus: ‘This is
not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’.
26]
"One regards the body thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards tangibles thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards body-consciousness
thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One
regards body-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not
my self’. One regards body-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I
am not, this is not my self’. One regards body-craving thus: ‘This is
not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’.
27] "One regards the mind thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not,
this is not my self’. One regards mind-objects thus: ‘This is not mine,
this I am not, this is not my self’. One regards mind-consciousness
thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’. One
regards mind-contact thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not
my self’. One regards mind-feeling thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am
not, this is not my self’. One regards mind-craving thus: ‘This is not
mine, this I am not, this is not my self’.
(The Underlying Tendencies)
28] (i) "Monks, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is eye-contact; with eye-contact as
condition there arises [an eye- feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither pleasant nor painful. When one is touched by a pleasant
eye-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to
it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is
touched by a painful eye-feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and laments,
weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the underlying
tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by neither
pleasant nor painful eye-feeling, if one does not understand as it
actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification, the
danger, and the escape in regard to that eye-feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Monks, that one shall
here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying
tendency to lust for pleasant eye-feeling, without abolishing the
underlying tendency to aversion towards eye-painful feeling, without
extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to neither
pleasant nor painful eye-feeling, without abandoning ignorance and
arousing true knowledge - this is impossible.
29] "Monks, dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness
arises: the meeting of the three is ear-contact; with ear-contact as
condition there arises [an ear- feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-pleasant-nor-painful. When one is touched by a pleasant
ear-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to
it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is
touched by a painful ear-feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and laments,
weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the underlying
tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by
neither-pleasant nor-painful ear-feeling, if one does not understand as
it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification,
the danger, and the escape in regard to that ear-feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Monks, that one shall
here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying
tendency to lust for pleasant ear-feeling, without abolishing the
underlying tendency to aversion towards painful ear-feeling, without
extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to
neither-pleasant-nor-painful ear-feeling, without abandoning ignorance
and arousing true knowledge - this is impossible.
30] "Monks, dependent on nose and odors, nose-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is nose-contact; with nose-contact as
condition there arises [a nose-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-pleasant-nor-painful. When one is touched by a pleasant
nose-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to
it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is
touched by a painful nose-feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and laments,
weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the underlying
tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by a
neither-pleasant-nor-painful nose-feeling, if one does not understand as
it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification,
the danger, and the escape in regard to that nose-feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Monks, that one shall
here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying
tendency to lust for pleasant nose-feeling, without abolishing the
underlying tendency to aversion towards painful nose-feeling, without
extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to
neither-pleasant-nor-painful nose-feeling, without abandoning ignorance
and arousing true knowledge - this is impossible.
31] "Monks, dependent on tongue and flavors, tongue-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is tongue-contact; with tongue-contact
as condition there arises [a tongue-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful
or neither-pleasant-nor-painful. When one is touched by a pleasant
tongue-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding
to it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is
touched by a painful tongue-feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and
laments, weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the
underlying tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by
a neither-pleasant-nor-painful tongue-feeling, if one does not
understand as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the
gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
tongue-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance lies within
one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering without
abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant tongue-feeling,
without abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
tongue-feeling, without extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance
in regard to neither-pleasant-nor-painful tongue-feeling, without
abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is impossible.
32] "Monks, dependent on body and tangibles, body-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is body-contact; with body-contact as
condition there arises [a body-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-pleasant-nor-painful. When one is touched by a pleasant
body-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to
it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is
touched by a painful body-feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and laments,
weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the underlying
tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by a
neither-pleasant-nor-painful body-feeling, if one does not understand as
it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification,
the danger, and the escape in regard to that body-feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Monks, that one shall
here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying
tendency to lust for pleasant body-feeling, without abolishing the
underlying tendency to aversion towards painful body-feeling, without
extirpating, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to
neither-pleasant-nor-painful body-feeling, without abandoning ignorance
and arousing true knowledge -this is impossible.
33] "Monks, dependent on mind and mind-objects,
mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is mind-contact;
with mind-contact as condition there arises [a mind-feeling] felt as
pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-not-painful. When one is touched
by a pleasant mind-feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and
remains holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within
one. When one is touched by a painful mind-feeling, if one sorrows,
grieves and laments, weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught,
then the underlying tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is
touched by a neither-pleasant-nor-painful mind-feeling, if one does not
understand as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the
gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
mind-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one.
Monks, that one should here and now make an end of suffering without
abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant mind-feeling,
without abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards
mind-painful feeling, without extirpating the underlying tendency to
ignorance in regard to neither-pleasant-nor-painful mind-feeling,
without abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is
impossible.
(The Abandonment of the Underlying Tendencies)
34] "Monks, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is eye-contact; with eye-contact as
condition there arises [an eye-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
eye-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remains
holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a painful eye-feeling, if one does not
sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become
distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant eye-feeling,
if one understands as it actually is the origination, the disappearance,
the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
eye-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie
within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering
by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant eye-feeling,
by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
eye-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in
regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant eye-feeling, by abandoning
ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is possible.
35] "Monks, dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is ear-contact; with ear-contact as
condition there arises [an ear feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
ear-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain
holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a painful ear-feeling, if one does not
sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one��s breast and become
distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant ear-feeling,
if one understands as it actually is the origination, the disappearance,
the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
ear-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie
within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end to suffering
by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant ear-feeling,
by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
ear-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in
regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant ear-feeling, by abandoning
ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is possible.
36] "Monks, dependent on the nose and odors, nose-consciousness
arises: the meeting of the three is nose-contact; with nose-contact as
condition there arises [a nose-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
nose-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain
holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a painful nose-feeling, if one does not
sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become
distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant nose-feeling,
if one understands as it actually is the origination, the disappearance,
the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
nose-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie
within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering
by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant nose-feeling,
by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
nose-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency in regard to
neither-painful-nor-pleasant nose-feeling, by abandoning ignorance and
arousing true knowledge - that is possible.
37] "Monks, dependent on the tongue and flavors,
tongue-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is tongue-contact;
with tongue-contact as condition there arises [a tongue-feeling] felt as
pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched
by a pleasant tongue-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it,
and remain holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not
lie within one. When one is touched by a painful tongue-feeling, if one
does not sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast
and become distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not
lie within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
tongue-feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination,
the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in
regard to that tongue-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance
does not lie within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end
of suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant
tongue-feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion
towards painful tongue-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency
to ignorance in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant tongue-feeling,
by abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge -this is possible.
38] "Monks, dependent on body and tangibles, body-consciousness
arises; the meeting of the three is body-contact; with body-contact as
condition there arises [a body-feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or
neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
body-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain
holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within
one. When one is touched by a painful body-feeling, if one does not
sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become
distraught, then the
underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within one. When one is
touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant body-feeling, if one
understands as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the
gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
body-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie
within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering
by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant body-feeling,
by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
body-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in
regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant body-feeling, by abandoning
ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is possible.
39] "Monks, dependent on mind and mind-objects,
mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is mind-contact;
with mind-contact as condition there arises [a mind-feeling] felt as
pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched
by a pleasant mind-feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it,
and remain holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not
lie within one. When one is touched by a painful mind-feeling, if one
does not sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast
and become distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not
lie within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
mind-feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination, the
disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard
to that mind-feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not
lie within one. Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of
suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant
mind-feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion for
painful mind-feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to
ignorance in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant mind-feeling, by
abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge - this is possible.
(Liberation)
40] "Seeing thus, monks, a well-taught noble disciple becomes
disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with
eye-consciousness, disenchanted with eye-contact, disenchanted with
eye-feeling, disenchanted with eye-craving.
"He becomes disenchanted with the ear, disenchanted with sounds,
disenchanted with ear-consciousness, disenchanted with ear-contact,
disenchanted with ear-feeling, disenchanted with ear-craving.
"He becomes disenchanted with the nose, disenchanted with odors,
disenchanted with nose-consciousness, disenchanted with nose-contact,
disenchanted with nose-feeling, disenchanted with nose-craving.
"He becomes disenchanted with the tongue, disenchanted with flavors,
disenchanted with tongue-consciousness, disenchanted with
tongue-contact, disenchanted with tongue-feeling, disenchanted with
tongue-craving.
"He becomes disenchanted with the body, disenchanted with tangibles,
disenchanted with body-consciousness, disenchanted with body-contact,
disenchanted with body-feeling, disenchanted with body-craving.
"He becomes disenchanted with the mind, disenchanted with
mind-objects, disenchanted with mind-consciousness, disenchanted with
mind-contact, disenchanted with mind-feeling, disenchanted with
mind-craving.
41] "Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through
dispassion [his mind] is liberated. When it is liberated, there comes
the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed,
the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there
is no more coming to any state of being.’ "
That is what the Blessed One said. The monks were satisfied and
delighted in the Blessed One’s words. Now while this discourse was being
spoken, through not clinging the minds of sixty monks were liberated
from the taints.
TT: 1:10:37
BV: Sighs. Does anybody have any questions? Yes?
S: ~
BV: Because when each one of these different things that the Buddha
was talking about, when you see that it’s, rising and falling, you can’t
say that that’s yourself. Because it’s an impersonal process, it’s
depending on something else for it to arise, and it is a part of the
depending, ahh, let’s see…. Everything arises because of a cause. Do you
ask that cause to arise? No, it’s arises because conditions are right
for it to arise. That means it’s not you, it’s not yours, there is no
self involved in it at all. That is why. It’s an arising and passing
away of an phenomena, and there is no self that calls that into being.
It’s just an arising of conditions, that’s why if we had a self, there
would be controls over all of these things, but there is no control.
When you get deeper into your meditation, when you get into the realm of
infinite consciousness, you start seeing consciousnesses arising and
passing away, very quickly. And you start seeing that there is no
controller. It is just a cause and effect relationship that’s happening
very fast; there is no self in that. It’s all an impersonal kind of
process and that happens at all of the six sense doors, because they are
all impersonal. There is no self involved, even with thought. Do you ask
for certain thoughts to come up? They come up because the conditions are
right for them to come up. Is there any part of you in that thought? No.
It arises and passes away. Arises and passes away by itself.
My favorite word in this whole sutta is "extirpate". Extirpate, I had to
look it up in the dictionary; it’s a nice sounding word, and when I
looked it up in the dictionary, it means to weed out, yeah, pull out, no
longer grab on to, extirpate, yeah.
S: ~
BV: Yeah, so your friend in Missouri that’s staying there right now,
he’s our gardener, so when he talks about, he has to go out to the
garden, he talks about extirpating the weeds. He’s pulling them out.
S: ~
BV: Yeah, yeah. And one of the interesting things about this, right
near the end, when it’s talking about the underlying tendencies for
neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, is by abandoning ignorance, it
means seeing everything in terms of the four noble truths. When we get
caught by neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, it arises from
disinterest, what was the other word? I was thinking of it all day and
it just left me.
S: ~
BV: Naw.
S: ~
BV: When were talking about neither painful-nor pleasant feeling, the
way we get caught by neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling so that the
ignorance does arise, from indifference. That was the word I was looking
for.
S: ~
BV: Well, not really, they have their own causes. But it’s when you
have a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, you have the tendency not
to really look at it, and with that comes a dull mind. So you’re not
seeing actually as it is with equanimity, so you’re not seeing the
danger in having that. So, it’s kind of an interesting thing because
when we talk about neither-painful-nor-pleasant, we always think well,
yeah that’s always equanimity, but it’s not. Indifference is the
negative part of that.
S: ~
BV: Yes
S: ~
BV: It is definitely sneaky.
S: ~
BV: The danger is the indifference.
S: ~ indifference.
BV: What is the gratification? Liking the dullness. Liking the
dullness. LIKING THE DULLNESS. What does it mean to be disenchanted?
S: ~
BV: Not tempted. Let’s go a little bit deeper, what more?
S: ~
BV: An awful; lot of people, at least in Asia, they talk about
attachment. And I can say: "These are my favorite glasses." And they
would say: "Then you’re attached to your glasses." But I’m not attached
to them, but it’s a useful tool. If they disappear, I don’t miss them, I
might look for them because they’re a useful tool, but I’m not going to
be upset, I’m not going to be beating my breasts and lamenting and being
very dissatisfied because these disappeared. And with all of the sense
doors, people have this idea that when a pleasant feeling comes, that
you’re not supposed to look at it. But the truth is it’s there, it’s ok
for it to be there, you see it, you allow it to be, relax, and go on.
And that pleasant thing can stay in front of you for a period of time,
but while you’re watching, you’re not craving, you’re not caught by your
clinging, and then start thinking and get caught a mile away, you’re
right there with the pleasant feeling, allowing it to be, just like with
the unpleasant feeling. You’re allowing the feeling to be, without
trying to control it, in any way.
S: ~
BV: That’s part of being enchanted, by trying to control. And
disenchanted means letting go of the control and the craving …with …
S: ~
BV: Oh. Yeah, yeah yeah. But there’s a lot pf people that think
you’re not supposed to enjoy anything, and you can enjoy everything, as
long as you’re not attached to it. So you see a beautiful sunset, what
are you going to do, close your eyes? So you don’t have that pleasant
sight? No, you can stay with that sight. You can be with it completely
and totally, and it’s actually even more beautiful when you don’t have
the attachment and that craving and the clinging. Because now you’re
staying with it without any distraction.
Ok, now I’m going to make a request that you don’t talk right now and
sit for at least forty five minutes, and stay with your object of
meditation, and relax into everything, just like normal. If there are
some thoughts about the sutta that arise, you might get some insights
into it, that’s ok. If you have any repeat thoughts, then let those go
and treat that like a distraction. Ok
1:31:46
Footnote:
1. You can hear a talk where this happens. MN#148 15-Oct-05
Sutta translation (C) Monk Bodhi 1995, 2001. Reprinted from The
Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima
Nikaya with permission of Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm Street,
Somerville, MA 02144 U.S.A
,www.wisdompubs.org
