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- Samyutta Nikaya XLVII.8
- Suda Sutta
- The Cook
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
"Suppose that there is a foolish, inexperienced, unskillful cook who has presented
a king or a king's minister with various kinds of curry: mainly sour, mainly bitter,
mainly peppery, mainly sweet, alkaline or non-alkaline, salty or non-salty. He does not
take note of (lit: pick up on the theme of) his master, thinking, 'Today my master likes
this curry, or he reaches out for that curry, or he takes a lot of this curry, or he
praises that curry. Today my master likes mainly sour curry...Today my master likes mainly
bitter curry...mainly peppery curry...mainly sweet curry...alkaline curry...non-alkaline
curry...salty curry...Today my master likes non-salty curry, or he reaches out for
non-salty curry, or he takes a lot of non-salty curry, or he praises non-salty curry.' As
a result, he is not rewarded with clothing or wages or gifts. Why is that? Because the
foolish, inexperienced, unskillful cook does not pick up on the theme of his own master.
"In the same way, there are cases where a foolish, inexperienced, unskillful monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting
aside greed & distress with reference to the world. As he remains thus focused on the
body in & of itself, his mind does not become concentrated, his defilements [Comm: the
five Hindrances] are not abandoned. He does not take note of that fact (does not pick up
on that theme). He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves...the mind in &
of itself...mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful --
putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. As he remains thus focused
on mental qualities in & of themselves, his mind does not become concentrated, his
defilements are not abandoned. He does not take note of that fact. As a result, he is not
rewarded with a pleasant abiding here & now, nor with mindfulness & alertness. Why
is that? Because the foolish, inexperienced, unskillful monk does not take note of his own
mind (does not pick up on the theme of his own mind).
"Now suppose that there is a wise, experienced, skillful cook who has presented a
king or a king's minister with various kinds of curry: mainly sour, mainly bitter, mainly
peppery, mainly sweet, alkaline or non-alkaline, salty or non-salty. He takes note of his
master, thinking, 'Today my master likes this curry, or he reaches out for that curry, or
he takes a lot of this curry or he praises that curry. Today my master likes mainly sour
curry...Today my master likes mainly bitter curry...mainly peppery curry...mainly sweet
curry...alkaline curry...non-alkaline curry...salty curry...Today my master likes
non-salty curry, or he reaches out for non-salty curry, or he takes a lot of non-salty
curry, or he praises non-salty curry.' As a result, he is rewarded with clothing, wages,
& gifts. Why is that? Because the wise, experienced, skillful cook picks up on the
theme of his own master.
"In the same way, there are cases where a wise, experienced, skillful monk remains
focused on the body in & of itself...feelings in & of themselves...the mind in
& of itself...mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful
-- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. As he remains thus
focused on mental qualities in & of themselves, his mind becomes concentrated, his
defilements are abandoned. He takes note of that fact. As a result, he is rewarded with a
pleasant abiding here & now, together with mindfulness & alertness. Why is that?
Because the wise, experienced, skillful monk picks up on the theme of his own mind."