10.
The Discourse on the Simile of the Six Creatures
247.
"Just as, monks, a man with sores on his body, with a festering body, might enter a reed grove.
Kusa grass thorns would pierce his feet, and reed leaves would scratch his body.
Thus indeed, monks, that man would on that account experience even more suffering and displeasure.
So too, monks, here a certain monk, whether gone to a village or gone to the forest, obtains a critic -
'This venerable one acts thus, conducts himself thus, an impure thorn to the village.'
Having understood that as a thorn, restraint and non-restraint should be known.
"And how, monks, is there non-restraint? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is resolved upon a pleasant form, is repelled by an unpleasant form, and dwells with bodily mindfulness not established, with a limited mind. And he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those arisen evil unwholesome mental states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is resolved upon a pleasant mental object, is repelled by an unpleasant mental object, and dwells with bodily mindfulness not established, with a limited mind, and does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those arisen evil unwholesome mental states cease without remainder.
"Just as, monks, a man, having seized six creatures of different domains and different ranges, might bind them with a strong rope. Having seized a snake, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a crocodile, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a bird, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a dog, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a jackal, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a monkey, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having bound them with a strong rope, having made a knot in the middle, he might release them. Then, monks, those six creatures of different domains and different ranges would each pull towards its own range and domain - the snake would pull, thinking 'I will enter an anthill'; the crocodile would pull, thinking 'I will enter the water'; the bird would pull, thinking 'I will fly into the sky'; the dog would pull, thinking 'I will enter the village'; the jackal would pull, thinking 'I will enter the charnel ground'; the monkey would pull, thinking 'I will enter the forest'. When, monks, those six creatures were exhausted and tired, then they would conform to, follow, and come under the control of whichever of those creatures was stronger. So too, monks, for whatever monk mindfulness of the body is not developed and not cultivated, the eye pulls towards pleasant forms, and unpleasant forms are repulsive... etc. the mind pulls towards pleasant mental objects, and unpleasant mental objects are repulsive. Thus, monks, there is non-restraint.
"And how, monks, is there restraint? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is not resolved upon a pleasant form, is not repelled by an unpleasant form, and dwells with bodily mindfulness established, with a limitless mind, and understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those arisen evil unwholesome mental states cease without remainder... etc. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue... etc. Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is not resolved upon a pleasant mental object, is not repelled by an unpleasant mental object, and dwells with bodily mindfulness established, with a limitless mind, and understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those arisen evil unwholesome mental states cease without remainder.
"Just as, monks, a man, having seized six creatures of different domains and different ranges, might bind them with a strong rope. Having seized a snake, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having seized a crocodile, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having taken a bird, etc. having taken a dog, having taken a jackal, having taken a monkey, he might bind it with a strong rope. Having bound them with a strong rope, he might tie them to a firm stake or post. Then, monks, those six creatures with different domains and different ranges would each pull towards its own range and domain - the snake would pull, thinking 'I will enter an anthill'; the crocodile would pull, thinking 'I will enter the water'; the bird would pull, thinking 'I will fly into the sky'; the dog would pull, thinking 'I will enter the village'; the jackal would pull, thinking 'I will enter the charnel ground'; the monkey would pull, thinking 'I will enter the forest'. When, monks, those six creatures would become weary and exhausted, then they would stand close to, sit down close to, and lie down close to that very stake or post. So too, monks, for whatever monk mindfulness of the body has been developed and cultivated, the eye does not pull towards agreeable forms, and disagreeable forms are not repulsive, etc. the tongue does not pull towards agreeable flavours, etc. the mind does not pull towards agreeable mental phenomena, and disagreeable mental phenomena are not repulsive. Thus, monks, there is restraint.
'A firm stake or post', monks, this is a designation for mindfulness of the body. Therefore, monks, you should train thus - 'Mindfulness of the body will be developed by us, cultivated, mastered, made a basis of, practised, accumulated, and thoroughly undertaken.' Thus indeed, monks, should you train." The tenth.