The monk who has cut off craving ...

The monk who has cut off craving without leaving a trace, as if he had dried up a swift-flowing stream, sloughs off the near shore & far* — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

* Near and far shores are thought to be here the five lower and higher fetters**

**Fetters- See labels below

Uraga Sutta: The Snake

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.01.than.html

"Common sense" or "non-sense"

If you try to untangle your headphones by pulling them a part in a rush, it may even make it worse. But if you start from one end and gradually untangle it you will eventually be successful. At the end you will get to the two ear pieces to connect with your music.

In the same way if try to realize Dhamma by grasping it the wrong way you may get confused or even harm yourself. But if you gradually follow this path with mindful reflection of the teachings, you will eventually end up with your six senses as the starting point. The six senses connect us to our world, just like the ear pieces connected us to our music as in the example above.

These six senses bind to the samsara. However, these very senses, when contemplated wisely can also help to get out of this same samsara.

This may be "common-sense" but hard to see because of our ignorance. One might even call it "non-sense" for the same reason.

The sullied nature of his mind...

"Suppose there were a pool of water — sullied, turbid, and muddy. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would not see shells, gravel, and pebbles, or shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with a sullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is impossible. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of his mind."

"Suppose there were a pool of water — clear, limpid, and unsullied. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would see shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with an unsullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is possible. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of his mind."

Udakarahaka Suttas: A Pool of Water
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu