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- Samyutta Nikaya XXXV.205
- Vina Sutta
- The Lute
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
"Monks, in whatever monk or nun there arises desire, passion, aversion, delusion,
or irritation of mind with regard to forms cognizable via the eye, he/she should hold the
mind in check. [Thinking,] 'It's dangerous & dubious, that path, thorny &
overgrown, a miserable path, a devious path, impenetrable. It's a path followed by people
of no integrity, not a path followed by people of integrity. It's not worthy of you,'
he/she should hold the mind in check with regard to forms cognizable via the eye.
"In whatever monk or nun there arises desire, passion, aversion, delusion, or
irritation of mind with regard to sounds cognizable via the ear...aromas cognizable via
the nose...flavors cognizable via the tongue...tactile sensations cognizable via the
body...ideas cognizable via the intellect, he/she should hold the mind in check.
[Thinking,] 'It's dangerous & dubious, that path, thorny & overgrown, a miserable
path, a devious path, impenetrable. It's a path followed by people of no integrity, not a
path followed by people of integrity. It's not worthy of you,' he/she should hold the mind
in check with regard to ideas cognizable via the intellect.
"Suppose that corn had ripened and the watchman was heedless. A
corn-eating ox, invading the corn to eat it, would intoxicate itself as much as it liked.
In the same way, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person, not exercising restraint with
regard to the six media of sensual contact, intoxicates himself with the five strands of
sensuality as much as he likes.
"Now suppose that corn had ripened and the watchman was heedful. The corn-eating
ox would invade the corn to eat it, but then the watchman would grab it firmly by the
muzzle. Having grabbed it firmly by the muzzle, he would pin it down by the forehead.
Having pinned it down by the forehead, he would give it a sound thrashing with a stick.
Having given it a sound thrashing with a stick, he would let it go.
"A second time...A third time, the corn-eating ox would invade the corn to eat it,
but then the watchman would grab it firmly by the muzzle. Having grabbed it firmly by the
muzzle, he would pin it down by the forehead. Having pinned it down by the forehead, he
would give it a sound thrashing with a stick. Having given it a sound thrashing with a
stick, he would let it go.
"As a result, the corn-eating ox -- regardless of whether it went to the village
or to the wilds, was standing still or lying down -- would not invade the corn again,
because it recalls the earlier taste it got of the stick.
"In the same way, when a monk's mind is held back, thoroughly held back, from the
six media of sensory contact, his mind settles inwardly, grows steady, unified, &
concentrated.
"Suppose there were a king or king's minister who had never
heard the sound of a lute before. He might hear the sound of a lute and say, 'What, my
good men, is that sound -- so delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing,
so enthralling?' They would say, 'That, sire, is called a lute, whose sound is so
delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so enthralling.' Then he would
say, 'Go & fetch me that lute.' They would fetch the lute and say, 'Here, sire, is the
lute whose sound is so delightful, so tantalizing, so intoxicating, so ravishing, so
enthralling.' He would say, 'Enough of your lute. Fetch me just the sound.' Then they
would say, 'This lute, sire, is made of numerous components, a great many components. It's
through the activity of numerous components that it sounds: that is, in dependence on the
body, the skin, the neck, the frame, the strings, the bridge, and the appropriate human
effort. Thus it is that this lute -- made of numerous components, a great many components
-- sounds through the activity of numerous components.'
"Then the king, would split the lute into ten pieces, a
hundred pieces. Having split the lute into ten pieces, a hundred pieces, he would shave it
to splinters. Having shaved it to splinters, he would burn it in a fire. Having burned it
in a fire, he would reduce it to ashes. Having reduced it to ashes, he would winnow it
before a high wind or let it be washed away by a swift-flowing stream. He would then say,
'A sorry thing, this lute -- whatever a lute may be -- by which people have been so
thoroughly tricked & deceived.'
"In the same way, a monk investigates form, however far form may go. He surveys
feeling...perception...fabrications...consciousness, however far consciousness may go. As
he is investigating form...feeling...perception...fabrications...consciousness, however
far consciousness may go, any thoughts of 'me' or 'mine' or 'I am' do not occur to
him."