“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso, tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. “Bhikkhus, if for any bhikkhu or bhikkhuni desire or passion or aversion or muddledness or resistance with regard to sights cognizable by the eye arises, they should restrain the mind from that: *Here “mind” corresponds to _citta_, which is why further below the same is repeated for _mano_, often also translated as “mind” although they're not the same. This is important because the passage would otherwise be stating that the object must be vanquished from one's field of awareness altogether, but this is not achievable through volition. An intention of suppression and denial can be exerted only for as long as that which is being suppressed is still there, even if faintly, which means that such attempts are ultimately founded upon a fallacy. Furthermore, if the outright elimination of an arisen experience were the goal, there would be situations where success would simply not be possible: when sense objects are being forced upon one by the external situation (e.g., loud music playing in the vicinity). But in SN 35.239, restraining the senses is compared to directing a chariot in whichever way one wants, which illustrates how perfect sense restraint is always possible regardless of the current circumstance—regardless of the fact that the six senses and what comes through them is not ultimately in one's control (SN 4.19). See also the comments in [MN 20](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn20). Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. ‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it is a wrong course, an unsuitable path, a harmful way. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. This path is frequented by unrighteous men, not by righteous men. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. It is not worthy of you.’ Tato cittaṁ nivāraye cakkhuviññeyyehi rūpehi …pe… Therefore, they should restrain the mind from those sights cognizable by the eye.
yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe… If for any bhikkhu or bhikkhuni desire or passion or aversion or muddledness or resistance with regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … smells cognizable by the nose … tastes cognizable by the tongue … touches cognizable by the body … manoviññeyyesu dhammesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. phenomena cognizable by the mental faculty arises, they should restrain their mind from that: *Rein in the _citta_ from what is experienced by _mano_ (mental faculty). For more on _citta_ see [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XMDbO8JLvo) and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMl8C1ViL1c). Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. ‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it is a wrong course, an unsuitable path, a harmful way. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. This path is frequented by unrighteous men, not by righteous men. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. It is not worthy of you.’ Tato cittaṁ nivāraye manoviññeyyehi dhammehi. Therefore, they should rein in the mind from those phenomena cognizable by the mental faculty.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ. Suppose the crops have ripened, *This simile closely resembles the one given in [MN 19](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn19), another discourse which describes the very same practice in slightly different terms. Kiṭṭhārakkho ca pamatto, goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otaritvā yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjeyya pamādaṁ āpajjeyya; but the caretaker is negligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops, it would indulge itself as much as it desires.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano chasu phassāyatanesu asaṁvutakārī pañcasu kāmaguṇesu yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati. In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person, failing to exercise restraint with regard to the six fields of pressure, indulges as much as they desire and falls into carelessness with regard to the five avenues of sensuality. *With pressure/contact already being there, they fail to exercise restraint. That is what is meant by [_papañca_ or “proliferation”](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn18). The proliferation does not begin with the mere arising of perceptions and feelings (which, in terms of the sixth sense base, includes ideas and concepts of any kind).
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho ca appamatto goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Suppose the crops have ripened, and the caretaker is diligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops, Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. the caretaker would seize it firmly by the muzzle. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Then they would seize it above the hump and hold it fast there. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Then they would give it a good beating Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. before driving it away. Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave …pe… For a second time, tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. and even a third time, the same thing might happen. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo gāmagato vā araññagato vā, ṭhānabahulo vā assa nisajjabahulo vā na taṁ kiṭṭhaṁ puna otareyya—As a result, no matter how long it stands or sits in a village or wilderness, that ox fond of crops would never invade that crop again, tameva purimaṁ daṇḍasamphassaṁ samanussaranto. remembering the beating it received earlier.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yato kho bhikkhuno chasu phassāyatanesu cittaṁ udujitaṁ hoti sudujitaṁ, ajjhattameva santiṭṭhati, sannisīdati, ekodi hoti, samādhiyati. In the same way, when a bhikkhu’s mind is subdued, well subdued with regard to the six fields of pressure, it becomes established internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes composed. *See the talk [“Abandoning the All”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jsmfGXInJc), and also SN 35.240 which is referenced in that discussion.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā vīṇāya saddo assutapubbo assa. Suppose a king or his minister had never heard the sound of a lute. So vīṇāsaddaṁ suṇeyya. When he first hears the sound, So evaṁ vadeyya: he would say, ‘ambho, kassa nu kho eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti? ‘My man, what is making this sound, so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, infatuating, and captivating?’
Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: They would say to him, ‘esā, kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma, yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti. ‘That, sir, is a lute.’
So evaṁ vadeyya: He would say, ‘gacchatha me, bho, taṁ vīṇaṁ āharathā’ti. ‘Go, my man, fetch me that lute.’
Tassa taṁ vīṇaṁ āhareyyuṁ. So, they would fetch it Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: and say, ‘ayaṁ kho sā, bhante, vīṇā yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti. ‘This, sir, is that lute, whose sound is so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, infatuating, and captivating.’
So evaṁ vadeyya: He would say, ‘alaṁ me, bho, tāya vīṇāya, tameva me saddaṁ āharathā’ti. ‘I have had enough of that lute! Fetch me just the sound.’
Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: They would say, ‘ayaṁ kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. ‘Sir, this lute is made of many components assembled together, Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadati, seyyathidaṁ—which make a sound when they are played. That is, doṇiñca paṭicca cammañca paṭicca daṇḍañca paṭicca upadhāraṇe ca paṭicca tantiyo ca paṭicca koṇañca paṭicca purisassa ca tajjaṁ vāyāmaṁ paṭicca evāyaṁ, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. it depends on the body, the skin, the neck, the head, the strings, the plectrum, and a person to play it properly. That is how a lute is made of many components assembled together, Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadatī’ti. which make a sound when they are played.’
So taṁ vīṇaṁ dasadhā vā satadhā vā phāleyya, dasadhā vā satadhā vā taṁ phāletvā sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ kareyya. But he would split that lute into ten pieces or a hundred pieces, then splinter it. Sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ karitvā agginā ḍaheyya, agginā ḍahitvā masiṁ kareyya. He would burn the splinters with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Masiṁ karitvā mahāvāte vā ophuneyya, nadiyā vā sīghasotāya pavāheyya. Then he would sweep away the ashes in a strong wind, or float them away down a swift stream.
So evaṁ vadeyya: Then he would say, ‘asatī kirāyaṁ, bho, vīṇā nāma, yathevaṁ yaṁ kiñci vīṇā nāma ettha ca panāyaṁ jano ativelaṁ pamatto palaḷito’ti. ‘A poor thing indeed is this so-called lute and whatever else is called a lute! But people waste their time with it, careless and duped!’
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpaṁ samanvesati yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesati yāvatā vedanāya gati, saññaṁ samanvesati yāvatā saññāya gati, saṅkhāre samanvesati yāvatā saṅkhārānaṁ gati, viññāṇaṁ samanvesati yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. In the same way, a bhikkhu investigates form as far as it goes, feeling as far as it goes, perception as far as it goes, activations as far as they go, and consciousness as far as it goes. *It is possible for the bhikkhu to do this as a result of the previous taming of the mind, i.e., the abandonment of the five hindrances, after which knowing and seeing things as they are happens as a matter of course ([AN 10.2](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an10.2), SN 22.5). It should be noted that the Suttas always discuss the abandonment of the five hindrances in similar terms as this discourse, and [do not lend support](https://www.hillsidehermitage.org/what-the-jhanas-actually-are/) to the contemporary idea of concentration upon meditation objects being the gateway to _samādhi_. [The four _satipaṭṭhānas_ are not “objects” of focused attention](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn10). Tassa rūpaṁ samanvesato yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesato …pe… As he investigates in this way, saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ samanvesato yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. Yampissa taṁ hoti ahanti vā mamanti vā asmīti vā tampi tassa na hotī”ti. any ideas of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ do not occur to him.” *[A playlist on the theme of _anattā_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4lt6JlhOp4&list=PLUPMn2PfEqIyfZ4LiLspKvbaq0K-YnPFa).
Navamaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=sn35.246