Seeing a form
—mindfulness lapsed—
attending
to the theme of ‘endearing,’
impassioned in mind,
one feels
and remains fastened on it.
One’s feelings, born of the form,
grow numerous,
Greed & annoyance
injure one’s mind.
Thus amassing stress,
one is said to be far
from unbinding.
Hearing a sound…
Smelling an aroma…
Tasting a flavor…
Touching a tactile sensation…
Knowing an idea
—mindfulness lapsed—
attending
to the theme of ‘endearing,’
impassioned in mind,
one feels
and remains fastened on it.
One’s feelings, born of the idea,
grow numerous,
Greed & annoyance
injure one’s mind.
Thus amassing stress,
one is said to be far
from unbinding.
Not impassioned with forms
—seeing a form with mindfulness firm—
dispassioned in mind,
one knows
and doesn’t remain fastened on it.
While one is seeing a form
—and even experiencing feeling—
it falls away and doesn’t accumulate.
Thus one fares mindfully.
Thus not amassing stress,
one is said to be
in the presence of unbinding.
Not impassioned with sounds…
Not impassioned with aromas…
Not impassioned with flavors…
Not impassioned with tactile sensations…
Not impassioned with ideas
—knowing an idea with mindfulness firm—
dispassioned in mind,
one knows
and doesn’t remain fastened on it.
While one is knowing an idea
—and even experiencing feeling—
it falls away and doesn’t accumulate.
Thus one fares mindfully.
Thus not amassing stress,
one is said to be
in the presence of unbinding.
Notes
1. It is possible, of course, to have desire for a sight that one has not seen. However, strictly speaking, the desire is not “there” at the unseen sight. Rather, it’s there at the present idea of the unseen sight. This distinction is important for the purpose of the practice.
2. See Ud 1:10, where the Buddha gives these same instructions to Bāhiya of the Bark-cloth.
Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN35_95.html