6.
The Discourse about Kāmabhū
233.
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Kāmabhū were dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park.
Then the Venerable Kāmabhū, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Ānanda;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Ānanda.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Kāmabhū said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"Now what, friend Ānanda, is the eye the mental fetter of forms, or are forms the mental fetter of the eye? Etc. Is the tongue the mental fetter of flavours, or are flavours the mental fetter of the tongue? Etc. Is the mind the mental fetter of mental phenomena, or are mental phenomena the mental fetter of the mind?"
"No indeed, friend Kāmabhū, the eye is not the mental fetter of forms, nor are forms the mental fetter of the eye. And whatever desire and lust arises there dependent on both, that is the mental fetter therein. Etc. The tongue is not the mental fetter of flavours, nor are flavours the mental fetter of the tongue. Etc. The mind is not the mental fetter of mental phenomena, nor are mental phenomena the mental fetter of the mind. Whatever desire and lust arises there dependent on both, that is the mental fetter therein.
"Just as, friend, a black ox and a white ox were tied together by a single rope or yoke. If someone were to say thus - 'The black ox is the mental fetter of the white ox, the white ox is the mental fetter of the black ox' - would he, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No indeed, friend." "No indeed, friend, the black ox is not the mental fetter of the white ox, nor is the white ox the mental fetter of the black ox. That by which they are tied together by a single rope or yoke, that is the mental fetter therein. So too, friend, the eye is not the mental fetter of forms, nor are forms the mental fetter of the eye. Etc. The tongue is not etc. The mind is not etc. and whatever desire and lust arises therein dependent on both, that is the mental fetter therein." The sixth.