The three roots of what is unskillful and skillfull...

"Just as a sal tree, a birch, or an aspen, when smothered & surrounded by three parasitic vines, falls into misfortune, falls into disaster, falls into misfortune & disaster, in the same way, a person like this — his mind overcome with evil, unskillful qualities

1. born of greed

2. born of aversion (hatred)

3. born of delusion

...his mind consumed — dwells in suffering right in the here-&-now — feeling threatened, turbulent, feverish — and at the break-up of the body, after death, can expect a bad destination.

"These are the three roots of what is unskillful....

....A man would come along, carrying a spade & a basket. He would cut the vines at the root and, having cut them at the root, would dig around them. Having dug around them, he would pull them out, even down to the rootlets. He would cut the stalks of the vines. Having cut them, he would slice them into splinters. Having sliced them into splinters, he would pound them into bits. Having pounded them into bits, he would dry them in the wind & sun. Having dried them in the wind & sun, he would burn them in a fire. Having burned them in a fire, he would reduce them to powdered ash. Having reduced them to powdered ash, he would winnow them before a high wind or let them be washed away in a swift-flowing stream. In that way the parasitic vines would have their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.

"In the same way, in a person like this, evil, unskillful qualities born of greed... born of aversion (hatred)... born of delusion have been abandoned, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. He dwells in ease right in the here-&-now — feeling unthreatened, placid, unfeverish — and is unbound right in the here-&-now.

"These are the three roots of what is skillful."

Mula Sutta: Roots

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.069.than.html

The eighteen places (6X3) that the mind dwells...

1. Seeing a form via the eye, one explores a form that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores a form that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores a form that can act as the basis for equanimity.

2. Hearing a sound via the ear one explores a sound that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores a sound that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores a sound that can act as the basis for equanimity.

3. Smelling an aroma via the nose, one explores a aroma that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores a aroma that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores a aroma that can act as the basis for equanimity.

4. Tasting a flavor via the tongue, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis for equanimity.

5. Feeling a tactile sensation via the body, one explores a sensation that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores a sensation that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores a sensation that can act as the basis for equanimity.

6. Cognizing an idea via the intellect, one explores an idea that can act as the basis for pleasant feeling, one explores an idea that can act as the basis for unpleasant feeling, one explores an idea that can act as the basis for equanimity.

(The idea taken from the sutta below)
Tittha Sutta: Sectarians

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.061.than.html

What is given to a virtuous person is of great fruit...

"I tell you, Vaccha, even if a person throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a village pool or pond, thinking, 'May whatever animals live here feed on this,' that would be a source of merit, to say nothing of what is given to human beings. But I do say that what is given to a virtuous person is of great fruit, and not so much what is given to an unvirtuous person. And the virtuous person has abandoned five factors* and is endowed with five"**.

*He has abandoned sensual desire... ill will... sloth & drowsiness... restlessness & anxiety... uncertainty. These are the five factors he has abandoned.

**He is endowed with the aggregate of virtue of one beyond training... the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training... the aggregate of discernment of one beyond training... the aggregate of release of one beyond training... the aggregate of knowledge & vision of release of one beyond training.

Vaccha Sutta: To Vaccha
(on Giving)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Three types of sick people..

"There are these three types of sick people to be found existing in the world. Which three?

1. "There is the case of the sick person who — regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing — will not recover from that illness.

2. There is the case of the sick person who — regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing — will recover from that illness.

3.There is the case of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing, but not if he doesn't.
"Now, it is because of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing — but not if he doesn't — that food for the sick has been allowed, medicine for the sick has been allowed, nursing for the sick has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of sick person that the other sorts of sick persons are to be nursed as well.
"These are the three types of sick people to be found existing in the world.

"In the same way, these three types of people, like the three types of sick people, are to be found existing in the world. Which three?

1. "There is the case of the person who — regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to see the Tathagata, regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — will not alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities.

2. There is the case of the person who — regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to see the Tathagata, regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities.

3. There is the case of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities if he gets to see the Tathagata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, but not if he doesn't.

"Now, it is because of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities if he gets to see the Tathagata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — but not if he doesn't — that the teaching of the Dhamma has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of person that the other sorts of persons are to be taught the Dhamma as well [on the chance that they may actually turn out to need and benefit from the teaching].

"These are the three types of people, like the three types of sick people, to be found existing in the world."

Gilana Sutta: Sick People
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Two people who are not easy to repay...

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world.

But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Just like a sappy piece of timber lying in the water...

Suppose there were a wet, sappy piece of timber lying in the water, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick, thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' Now what do you think? Would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing the upper fire-stick in the wet, sappy timber lying in the water?"

"No, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because the timber is wet & sappy, and besides it is lying in the water. Eventually the man would reap only his share of weariness & disappointment."


"So it is with any priest or contemplative who does not live withdrawn from sensuality* in body & mind, and whose desire, infatuation, urge, thirst, & fever for sensuality is not relinquished & stilled within** him: Whether or not he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings due to his striving [for Awakening], he is incapable of knowledge, vision, & unexcelled self-awakening."

Note:
* Indulgence in sensuality from out side is compared to water in this simile
** Desire within is compared to the wet sappy timber in this simile

Saccaka Sutta: The Longer Discourse to Saccaka
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu