sense bases – Page 2 – Daily Sutta Reading

MN 137 Saḷāyatanavibhaṅgasutta: The Analysis of the Six Sense Fields

[Note: Today’s selection is unusually long, but it is a good starting point for a month learning about the sense bases. If you have time, it’s great to read the whole thing. If you cannot, read at least parts 1 and 2. Don’t be overly concerned about memorizing all the lists. By the end of the month the patterns will be quite familiar.]

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, I shall teach you the analysis of the six sense fields. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“‘The six interior sense fields should be understood. The six exterior sense fields should be understood. The six classes of consciousness should be understood. The six classes of contact should be understood. The eighteen mental preoccupations should be understood. The thirty-six positions of sentient beings should be understood. Therein, relying on this, give up that. The Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness in three cases, by virtue of which they are a Teacher worthy to instruct a group. Of all meditation tutors, it is he that is called the supreme guide for those who wish to train.’ This is the summary recital for the analysis of the six sense fields.

Part 1

‘The six interior sense fields should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? There are the sense fields of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. ‘The six interior sense fields should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘The six exterior sense fields should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? There are the sense fields of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. ‘The six exterior sense fields should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘The six classes of consciousness should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? There are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness. ‘The six classes of consciousness should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘The six classes of contact should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? There is contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. ‘The six classes of contact should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘The eighteen mental preoccupations should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Seeing a sight with the eye, one is preoccupied with a sight that’s a basis for happiness or sadness or equanimity. Hearing a sound with the ear … Smelling an odor with the nose … Tasting a flavor with the tongue … Feeling a touch with the body … Becoming conscious of an idea with the mind, one is preoccupied with an idea that’s a basis for happiness or sadness or equanimity. So there are six preoccupations with happiness, six preoccupations with sadness, and six preoccupations with equanimity. ‘The eighteen mental preoccupations should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

Part 2

‘The thirty-six positions of sentient beings should be understood.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? There are six kinds of domestic happiness and six kinds of renunciate happiness. There are six kinds of domestic sadness and six kinds of renunciate sadness. There are six kinds of domestic equanimity and six kinds of renunciate equanimity.

And in this context what are the six kinds of domestic happiness? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, connected with the worldly pleasures of the flesh. Happiness arises when you regard it as a gain to obtain such sights, or when you recollect sights you formerly obtained that have passed, ceased, and perished. Such happiness is called domestic happiness. There are sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body … Ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, connected with the world’s material delights. Happiness arises when you regard it as a gain to obtain such ideas, or when you recollect ideas you formerly obtained that have passed, ceased, and perished. Such happiness is called domestic happiness. These are the six kinds of domestic happiness.

And in this context what are the six kinds of renunciate happiness? When you’ve understood the impermanence of sights—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—happiness arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those sights are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such happiness is called renunciate happiness. When you’ve understood the impermanence of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—happiness arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those ideas are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such happiness is called renunciate happiness. These are the six kinds of renunciate happiness.

And in this context what are the six kinds of domestic sadness? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, connected with the world’s material delights. Sadness arises when you regard it as a loss to lose such sights, or when you recollect sights you formerly lost that have passed, ceased, and perished. Such sadness is called lay sadness. There are sounds known by the ear … There are smells known by the nose … There are tastes known by the tongue … There are touches known by the body … There are ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, connected with the worldly pleasures of the flesh. Sadness arises when you regard it as a loss to lose such ideas, or when you recollect ideas you formerly lost that have passed, ceased, and perished. Such sadness is called domestic sadness. These are the six kinds of domestic sadness.

And in this context what are the six kinds of renunciate sadness? When you’ve understood the impermanence of sights—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those sights are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Upon seeing this, you give rise to yearning for the supreme liberations: ‘Oh, when will I enter and remain in the same dimension that the noble ones enter and remain in today?’ When you give rise to yearning for the supreme liberations like this, sadness arises because of the yearning. Such sadness is called renunciate sadness. When you’ve understood the impermanence of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those ideas are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Upon seeing this, you give rise to yearning for the supreme liberations: ‘Oh, when will I enter and remain in the same dimension that the noble ones enter and remain in today?’ When you give rise to yearning for the supreme liberations like this, sadness arises because of the yearning. Such sadness is called renunciate sadness. These are the six kinds of renunciate sadness.

And in this context what are the six kinds of domestic equanimity? When seeing a sight with the eye, equanimity arises for the unlearned ordinary person—a foolish ordinary person who has not overcome their limitations and the results of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks. Such equanimity does not transcend the sight. That’s why it’s called domestic equanimity. When hearing a sound with the ear … When smelling an odor with the nose … When tasting a flavor with the tongue … When feeling a touch with the body … When knowing an idea with the mind, equanimity arises for the unlearned ordinary person—a foolish ordinary person who has not overcome their limitations and the results of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks. Such equanimity does not transcend the idea. That’s why it’s called domestic equanimity. These are the six kinds of domestic equanimity.

And in this context what are the six kinds of renunciate equanimity? When you’ve understood the impermanence of sights—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—equanimity arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those sights are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such equanimity transcends the sight. That’s why it’s called renunciate equanimity. When you’ve understood the impermanence of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—equanimity arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those ideas are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such equanimity transcends the idea. That’s why it’s called renunciate equanimity. These are the six kinds of renunciate equanimity. ‘The thirty-six positions of sentient beings should be understood.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

Part 3

‘Therein, relying on this, give up that.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

Therein, by relying and depending on the six kinds of renunciate happiness, give up and go beyond the six kinds of domestic happiness. That’s how they are given up.

Therein, by relying on the six kinds of renunciate sadness, give up the six kinds of domestic sadness. That’s how they are given up.

Therein, by relying on the six kinds of renunciate equanimity, give up the six kinds of domestic equanimity. That’s how they are given up.

Therein, by relying on the six kinds of renunciate happiness, give up the six kinds of renunciate sadness. That’s how they are given up.

Therein, by relying on the six kinds of renunciate equanimity, give up the six kinds of renunciate happiness. That’s how they are given up.

There is equanimity that is diversified, based on diversity, and equanimity that is unified, based on unity.

And what is equanimity based on diversity? There is equanimity towards sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. This is equanimity based on diversity.

And what is equanimity based on unity? There is equanimity based on the dimensions of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception. This is equanimity based on unity.

Therein, relying on equanimity based on unity, give up equanimity based on diversity. That’s how it is given up.

Relying on not being determined by that, give up equanimity based on unity. That’s how it is given up. ‘Therein, relying on this, give up that.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘The Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness in three cases, by virtue of which they are a Teacher worthy to instruct a group.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

The first case is when the Teacher teaches Dhamma to his disciples out of kindness and sympathy: ‘This is for your welfare. This is for your happiness.’ But their disciples don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. In this case the Realized One is not unhappy, he does not feel unhappiness. He remains unfestering, mindful and aware. This is the first case in which the Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness.

The next case is when the Teacher teaches Dhamma to his disciples out of kindness and sympathy: ‘This is for your welfare. This is for your happiness.’ And some of their disciples don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. But some of their disciples do want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand. They don’t proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. In this case the Realized One is not unhappy, nor is he happy. Rejecting both unhappiness and happiness, he remains equanimous, mindful and aware. This is the second case in which the Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness.

The next case is when the Teacher teaches Dhamma to his disciples out of kindness and sympathy: ‘This is for your welfare. This is for your happiness.’ And their disciples want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand. They don’t proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. In this case the Realized One is happy, he does feel happiness. He remains unfestering, mindful and aware. This is the third case in which the Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness. ‘The Noble One cultivates the establishment of mindfulness in three cases, by virtue of which they are a Teacher worthy to instruct a group.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Of all meditation tutors, it is he that is called the supreme guide for those who wish to train.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Driven by an elephant trainer, an elephant in training proceeds in just one direction: east, west, north, or south.

Driven by a horse trainer, a horse in training proceeds in just one direction: east, west, north, or south. Driven by an ox trainer, an ox in training proceeds in just one direction: east, west, north, or south. But driven by the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, a person in training proceeds in eight directions:

Having physical form, they see forms. This is the first direction. Not perceiving physical form internally, they see forms externally. This is the second direction. They’re focused only on beauty. This is the third direction. Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. This is the fourth direction. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the fifth direction. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth direction. Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the seventh direction. Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth direction. Driven by the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, a person in training proceeds in these eight directions.

‘Of all meditation tutors, it is he that is called the supreme guide for those who wish to train.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Read this translation of Majjhima Nikāya 137 Saḷāyatanavibhaṅgasutta: The Analysis of the Six Sense Fields by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 46.29 Ekadhammasutta: One Thing

“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that, when it is developed and cultivated like this, leads to giving up the things that are prone to being fettered like the seven awakening factors. What seven? The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. And how are the seven awakening factors developed and cultivated so as to lead to giving up the things that are prone to being fettered?

It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion,

and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. That’s how the seven awakening factors are developed and cultivated so as to lead to giving up the things that are prone to being fettered.

And what are the things that are prone to being fettered? The eye is something that’s prone to being fettered. This is where these fetters, shackles, and attachments arise. The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is something that’s prone to being fettered. This is where these fetters, shackles, and attachments arise. These are called the things that are prone to being fettered.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.29 Ekadhammasutta: One Thing by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.248 Yavakalāpisutta: The Sheaf of Barley

“Mendicants, suppose a sheaf of barley was placed at a crossroads. Then six people would come along carrying flails, and started threshing the sheaf of barley. So that sheaf of barley would be thoroughly threshed by those six flails. Then a seventh person would come along carrying a flail, and they’d give the sheaf of barley a seventh threshing. So that sheaf of barley would be even more thoroughly threshed by that seventh flail.

In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person is struck in the eye by both pleasant and unpleasant sights. They’re struck in the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind by both pleasant and unpleasant ideas. And if that unlearned ordinary person has intentions regarding rebirth into a new state of existence in the future, that silly person is even more thoroughly struck, like that sheaf of barley threshed by the seventh person.

Once upon a time, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, addressed the titans, ‘My good sirs, if the titans defeat the gods in this battle, bind Sakka, the lord of gods, by his limbs and neck and bring him to my presence in the citadel of the titans.’

Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the Thirty-Three, ‘My good sirs, if the gods defeat the titans in this battle, bind Vepacitti by his limbs and neck and bring him to my presence in the Hall of Justice of the gods.’

In that battle the gods won and the titans lost. So the gods of the Thirty-Three bound Vepacitti by his limbs and neck and brought him to Sakka’s presence in the Hall of Justice of the gods.

And there Vepacitti remained bound by his limbs and neck. That is, until he thought, ‘It’s the gods who are principled, while the titans are unprincipled. Now I belong right here in the castle of the gods.’ Then he found himself freed from the bonds on his limbs and neck. He entertained himself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation.

But when he thought, ‘It’s the titans who are principled, while the gods are unprincipled. Now I will go over there to the citadel of the titans,’ he found himself bound by his limbs and neck, and the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation disappeared.

That’s how subtly Vepacitti was bound. But the bonds of Māra are even more subtle than that. When you conceive, you’re bound by Māra. Not conceiving, you’re free from the Wicked One.

These are all forms of conceiving: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Conceit is a disease, a boil, a dart. So mendicants, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will live with a heart that does not conceive.’

These are all disturbances: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Disturbances are a disease, a boil, a dart. So mendicants, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will live with a heart free of disturbances.’

These are all tremblings: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Trembling is a disease, a boil, a dart. So mendicants, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will live with a heart free of tremblings.’

These are all proliferations: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Proliferation is a disease, a boil, a dart. So mendicants, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will live with a heart free of proliferation.’

These are all conceits: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Conceit is a disease, a boil, a dart. So mendicants, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will live with a heart that has struck down conceit.’”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.248 Yavakalāpisutta: The Sheaf of Barley by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.230 Bāḷisikopamasutta: The Fisherman Simile

“Bhikkhus, suppose a fisherman would cast a baited hook into a deep lake, and a fish on the lookout for food would swallow it. That fish who has thus swallowed the fisherman’s hook would meet with calamity and disaster, and the fisherman could do with it as he wishes. So too, bhikkhus, there are these six hooks in the world for the calamity of beings, for the slaughter of living beings.

“There are, bhikkhus, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, he is called a bhikkhu who has swallowed Mara’s hook. He has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes.

“There are, bhikkhus, sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable … tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them … the Evil One can do with him as he wishes.

“There are, bhikkhus, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain holding to them, he is called a bhikkhu who has not swallowed Mara’s hook, who has broken the hook, demolished the hook. He has not met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One cannot do with him as he wishes.

“There are, bhikkhus, sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable … tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them … the Evil One cannot do with him as he wishes.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.230 Bāḷisikopamasutta: The Fisherman Simile by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.240 Kummopamasutta: The Simile of the Tortoise

“Once upon a time, mendicants, a tortoise was grazing along the bank of a river in the afternoon. At the same time, a jackal was also hunting along the river bank. The tortoise saw the jackal off in the distance hunting, so it drew its limbs and neck inside its shell, and kept passive and silent.

But the jackal also saw the tortoise off in the distance grazing. So it went up to the tortoise and waited nearby, thinking, ‘When that tortoise sticks one or other of its limbs or neck out from its shell, I’ll grab it right there, rip it out, and eat it!’

But when that tortoise didn’t stick one or other of its limbs or neck out from its shell, the jackal left disappointed, since it couldn’t find a vulnerability.

In the same way, Māra the Wicked is always waiting nearby, thinking: ‘Hopefully I can find a vulnerability in the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind.’ That’s why you should live with sense doors guarded.

When you see a sight with your eyes, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.

When you hear a sound with your ears …

When you smell an odor with your nose …

When you taste a flavor with your tongue …

When you feel a touch with your body …

When you know an idea with your mind, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.

When you live with your sense doors guarded, Māra will leave you disappointed, since he can’t find a vulnerability, just like the jackal left the tortoise.

A mendicant should collect their thoughts
as a tortoise draws its limbs into its shell.
Independent, not disturbing others,
quenched: they wouldn’t blame anyone.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.240 Kummopamasutta: The Simile of the Tortoise by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.100 Paṭisallānasutta: Retreat

“Mendicants, meditate in retreat. A mendicant in retreat truly understands. What do they truly understand?

They truly understand that the eye is impermanent. They truly understand that sights … eye consciousness … eye contact … the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is impermanent. …

They truly understand that the eye is impermanent.… ear… nose… tongue… body…

They truly understand that the mind is impermanent. They truly understand that ideas … mind consciousness … mind contact … the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is impermanent.

Mendicants, meditate in retreat. A mendicant in retreat truly understands.”

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SN 35.246 Vīṇopamasutta: The Simile of the Lute

“Bhikkhus, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī desire or lust or hatred or delusion or aversion of mind should arise in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, such a one should rein in the mind from them thus: ‘This path is fearful, dangerous, strewn with thorns, covered by jungle, a deviant path, an evil path, a way beset by scarcity. This is a path followed by inferior people; it is not the path followed by superior people. This is not for you.’ In this way the mind should be reined in from these states regarding forms cognizable by the eye. So too regarding sounds cognizable by the ear … regarding mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that the barley has ripened and the watchman is negligent. If a bull fond of barley enters the barley field, he might indulge himself as much as he likes. So too, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling who does not exercise restraint over the six bases for contact indulges himself as much as he likes in the five cords of sensual pleasure.

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that the barley has ripened and the watchman is vigilant. If a bull fond of barley enters the barley field, the watchman would catch hold of him firmly by the muzzle. While holding him firmly by the muzzle, he would get a secure grip on the locks between his horns and, keeping him in check there, would give him a sound beating with his staff. After giving him that beating, he would drive the bull away. This might happen a second time and a third time. Thus that bull fond of barley, whether he has gone to the village or the forest, whether he is accustomed to standing or to sitting, remembering the previous beating he got from the staff, would not enter that barley field again.

“So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu’s mind has been subdued, well subdued, regarding the six bases for contact, it then becomes inwardly steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a king or a royal minister who had never before heard the sound of a lute. He might hear the sound of a lute and say: ‘Good man, what is making this sound—so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling?’ They would say to him: ‘Sire, it is a lute that is making this sound—so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling.’ He would reply: ‘Go, man, bring me that lute.’

“They would bring him the lute and tell him: ‘Sire, this is that lute, the sound of which was so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling.’ The king would say: ‘I’ve had enough with this lute, man. Bring me just that sound.’ The men would reply: ‘This lute, sire, consists of numerous components, of a great many components, and it gives off a sound when it is played upon with its numerous components; that is, in dependence on the parchment sounding board, the belly, the arm, the head, the strings, the plectrum, and the appropriate effort of the musician. So it is, sire, that this lute consisting of numerous components, of a great many components, gives off a sound when it is played upon with its numerous components.’

“The king would split the lute into ten or a hundred pieces, then he would reduce these to splinters. Having reduced them to splinters, he would burn them in a fire and reduce them to ashes, and he would winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. Then he would say: ‘A poor thing, indeed sir, is this so-called lute, as well as anything else called a lute. How the multitude are utterly heedless about it, utterly taken in by it!’

“So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu investigates form to the extent that there is a range for form, he investigates feeling to the extent that there is a range for feeling, he investigates perception to the extent that there is a range for perception, he investigates volitional formations to the extent that there is a range for volitional formations, he investigates consciousness to the extent that there is a range for consciousness. As he investigates form to the extent that there is a range for form … consciousness to the extent that there is a range for consciousness, whatever notions of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ had occurred to him before no longer occur to him.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.246 Vīṇopamasutta: The Simile of the Lute by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net.

MN 149 Mahāsaḷāyatanikasutta: The Great Discourse on the Six Sense Fields

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, I shall teach you the great discourse on the six sense fields. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, when you don’t truly know and see the eye, sights, eye consciousness, eye contact, and what is felt as pleasant, painful, or neutral that arises conditioned by eye contact, you’re aroused by these things.

Someone who lives aroused like this—fettered, confused, concentrating on gratification—accumulates the five grasping aggregates for themselves in the future. And their craving—which leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, chasing pleasure in various realms—grows. Their physical and mental stress, torment, and fever grow. And they experience physical and mental suffering.

When you don’t truly know and see the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, thoughts, mind consciousness, mind contact, and what is felt as pleasant, painful, or neutral that arises conditioned by mind contact, you’re aroused by these things.

When you do truly know and see the eye, sights, eye consciousness, eye contact, and what is felt as pleasant, painful, or neutral that arises conditioned by eye contact, you’re not aroused by these things.

Someone who lives unaroused like this—unfettered, unconfused, concentrating on drawbacks—disperses the the five grasping aggregates for themselves in the future. And their craving—which leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, chasing pleasure in various realms—is given up. Their physical and mental stress, torment, and fever are given up. And they experience physical and mental pleasure.

The view of such a person is right view. Their intention is right intention, their effort is right effort, their mindfulness is right mindfulness, and their immersion is right immersion. And their actions of body and speech have already been fully purified before. So this noble eightfold path is fully developed.

When the noble eightfold path is developed, the following are fully developed: the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, and the seven awakening factors.

And these two qualities proceed in conjunction: serenity and discernment. They completely understand by direct knowledge those things that should be completely understood by direct knowledge. They give up by direct knowledge those things that should be given up by direct knowledge. They develop by direct knowledge those things that should be developed by direct knowledge. They realize by direct knowledge those things that should be realized by direct knowledge.

And what are the things that should be completely understood by direct knowledge? You should say: ‘The five grasping aggregates.’ That is: form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. These are the things that should be completely understood by direct knowledge.

And what are the things that should be given up by direct knowledge? Ignorance and craving for continued existence. These are the things that should be given up by direct knowledge.

And what are the things that should be developed by direct knowledge? Serenity and discernment. These are the things that should be developed by direct knowledge.

And what are the things that should be realized by direct knowledge? Knowledge and freedom. These are the things that should be realized by direct knowledge.

When you truly know and see the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, thoughts, mind consciousness, mind contact, and what is felt as pleasant, painful, or neutral that arises conditioned by mind contact, you are not aroused by these things. …

These are the things that should be realized by direct knowledge.”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what the Buddha said.

Read this translation of Majjhima Nikāya 149 Mahāsaḷāyatanikasutta: The Great Discourse on the Six Sense Fields by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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