On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha on Vulture Peak Mountain. Then Sakka the deva-king went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he said to the Blessed One, “What is the cause, lord, what is the reason why some beings don’t totally unbind in the here & now? And what is the cause, what is the reason why some beings do totally unbind in the here & now?”
“There are, deva-king, forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked with sensual desire. If a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, then in him—relishing them, welcoming them, & remaining fastened to them—consciousness depends on them, clings to them/is sustained by them. A monk with clinging/sustenance doesn’t totally unbind.
“There are sounds cognizable via the ear… aromas cognizable via the nose… flavors cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body…
“There are ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked with sensual desire. If a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, then in him—relishing them, welcoming them, & remaining fastened to them—consciousness depends on them, clings to them/is sustained by them. A monk with clinging/sustenance doesn’t totally unbind.
“This, deva-king, is the cause, this the reason, why some beings don’t totally unbind in the here & now.
“But, deva-king, there are forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked with sensual desire. If a monk doesn’t relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, then in him—not relishing them, not welcoming them, not remaining fastened to them— consciousness doesn’t depend on them, doesn’t cling to them/isn’t sustained by them. A monk without clinging/sustenance totally unbinds.
“There are sounds cognizable via the ear… aromas cognizable via the nose… flavors cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body…
“There are ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked with sensual desire. If a monk doesn’t relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, then in him—not relishing them, not welcoming them, not remaining fastened to them—consciousness doesn’t depend on them, doesn’t cling to them/isn’t sustained by them. A monk without clinging/sustenance totally unbinds.
“This, deva-king, is the cause, this the reason, why some beings do totally unbind in the here & now.”
Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN35_118.html