Not even if it rained gold coins...

Not even if it rained gold coins would we have our fill of sensual pleasures.
'Stressful, they give little enjoyment' — knowing this, the wise one finds no delight even in heavenly sensual pleasures. He is one who delights in the ending of craving, a disciple of the Rightly Self-Awakened One.

-Dhammapada

Characteristic of consciousness...

The king asked: "Venerable Nagasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?"

"The distinguishing characteristic of consciousness, your majesty, is cognizing."

"Give me an analogy."

"Just as, your majesty, a city-superintendent sitting at the crossroads in the middle of the city could see a person coming from the eastern direction, could see a person coming from the southern direction, could see a person coming from the western direction, and could see a person coming from the northern direction, then indeed, your majesty, does a person cognize with consciousness a form he sees with the eye, cognize with consciousness a sound he hears with the ear, cognize with consciousness a scent he smells with the nose, cognize with consciousness a taste he savors with the tongue, cognize with consciousness a touch he feels with the body, and cognize with consciousness a mental state he cognizes with the mind. Indeed thus, your majesty, the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness is cognizing."

"You are clever, venerable Nagasena."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.2x.kell.html#miln-2-3-08-cymbals

Like a water bead on a lotus...

Not to gain or loss not to status or honor,

not to praise or blame,

not to pleasure or pain:

everywhere they do not adhere — like a water bead on a lotus.

Everywhere they are happy, the enlightened, everywhere un- defeated.

Godatta

Just as if a man were to grasp a branch with his hand ...

"There is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification*, but as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind doesn't leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is not to be expected.

Just as if a man were to grasp a branch with his hand smeared with resin, his hand would stick to it, grip it, adhere to it; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, but as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind doesn't leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is not to be expected.

"Now, there is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, and as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is to be expected.

Just as if a man were to grasp a branch with a clean hand, his hand would not stick to it, grip it, or adhere to it; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, and as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is to be expected

* First fetter

(to understand fetters see lables below)

Jambali Sutta: The Waste-water Pool

Just as a hen expects...

"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn't cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely.

Why is that?

Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly.

In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from (Taints) effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the (Taints) effluents through lack of clinging.

Why is that?

From lack of developing, it should be said.

Lack of developing what?

The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.

Nava Sutta: The Ship

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.101.than.html#hen

So hard to see the mind...

So hard to see,
so very, very subtle,
alighting wherever it likes: the mind.
The wise should guard it.
The mind protected brings ease.
-Dhammapada

Sensuality is like picking fruits off a tree...

"Now suppose that, not far from a village or town, there were a dense forest grove, and there in the grove was a tree with delicious fruit, abundant fruit, but with no fruit fallen to the ground. A man would come along, desiring fruit, looking for fruit, searching for fruit. Plunging into the forest grove, he would see the tree... and the thought would occur to him, 'This is a tree with delicious fruit, abundant fruit, and there is no fruit fallen to the ground, but I know how to climb a tree. Why don't I climb the tree, eat what I like, and fill my clothes with the fruit?' So, having climbed the tree, he would eat what he liked and fill his clothes with the fruit. Then a second man would come along, desiring fruit, looking for fruit, searching for fruit and carrying a sharp ax. Plunging into the forest grove, he would see the tree... and the thought would occur to him, 'This is a tree with delicious fruit, abundant fruit, and there is no fruit fallen to the ground, and I don't know how to climb a tree. Why don't I chop down this tree at the root, eat what I like, and fill my clothes with the fruit?' So he would chop the tree at the root. What do you think: If the first man who climbed the tree didn't quickly come down, wouldn't the falling tree crush his hand or foot or some other part of his body, so that he would meet with death from that cause, or with death-like pain?"

"Yes, lord."

"In the same way, householder, a disciple of the noble ones considers this point: 'The Blessed One has compared sensuality to the fruits of a tree, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks.' Seeing this with right discernment, as it actually is present, then avoiding the equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity, he develops the equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness, where sustenance/clinging for the baits of the world ceases without trace.

Potaliya Sutta: To Potaliya

Hidden treasures of this city...

A city made of bones,
plastered over with flesh & blood,
whose hidden treasures are:
pride & contempt,
aging & death.

-Dhammapada

Store the "weapons of Dhamma"...

"Just as the royal frontier fortress has many weapons stored, both arrows & things to be hurled, for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way...



.....the disciple of the noble ones has heard much, has retained what he has heard, has stored what he has heard. Whatever teachings are admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that — in their meaning & expression — proclaim the holy life that is entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often, retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, and well-penetrated in terms of his views.



With learning as his weapons, the disciple of the noble ones abandons what is unskillful, develops what is skillful, abandons what is blameworthy, develops what is blameless, and looks after himself with purity.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.063.than.html#learning

Sorrows grow like wild grass if....

If this sticky, uncouth craving
overcomes you in the world,
your sorrows grow like wild grass
after rain.

-Dhammapada

A simple whish for Sri Lanka at this time of crisis...

I wish all Sri Lankan's will contemplate these beautiful words of the Buddha at this time of crisis...

"Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal."

"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred."


"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred."

"There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels."

-Dhammapada

May all beings be well, happy and live peacefully in Sri Lanka.

Contemplation of the body...as a cave

Staying attached to the cave,
covered heavily over,
a person sunk in confusion
is far from seclusion — 
for sensual pleasures
sensual desires
in the world
are not lightly let go.

Guhatthaka Sutta-The Cave of the Body
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.02.than.html

Contemplation of the body...as a boil

"Monks, it's just as if there were a boil that had been building for many years with nine openings, nine un-lanced heads. Whatever would ooze out from it would be an uncleanliness oozing out, a stench oozing out, a disgust oozing out. Whatever would be discharged from it would be an uncleanliness discharging, a stench discharging, a disgust discharging.

"'A boil,' monks, is another word for this body composed of the four properties*, born of mother & father, fed on rice & porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing & massaging, breaking-up & disintegrating. It has nine openings, nine un-lanced heads. Whatever would ooze out from it would be an uncleanliness oozing out, a stench oozing out, a disgust oozing out. Whatever would be discharged from it would be an uncleanliness discharging, a stench discharging, a disgust discharging. For that reason, you should become disenchanted with this body."

Ganda Sutta-A Boil
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.015.than.html

*See labels

A man constrained by conscience...

Who in the world
is a man constrained by conscience,
who awakens to censure
like a fine stallion to the whip?
Those restrained by conscience
are rare — 
those who go through life
always mindful.
Having reached the end
of suffering & stress,
they go through what is uneven
evenly;
go through what is out-of-tune
in tune.

Hiri Sutta-Conscience
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.018.than.html

Note:

The Pali word "Hiri" is translated as conscience here.  This is also translated
 as shame and is compared to a moat in Nagara sutta (the fortress)... see below:

"Just as the royal frontier fortress has
a moat, both deep & wide, for the protection of those within and to
ward off those without; in the same way, the disciple of the noble ones
has a sense of shame. He feels shame at [the thought of engaging in]
bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct. He feels shame
at falling into evil, unskillful actions. With shame as his moat, the
disciple of the noble ones abandons what is unskillful, develops what
is skillful, abandons what is blameworthy, develops what is blameless,
and looks after himself with purity. With this second true quality is
he endowed.
Nagara Sutta

Abandoning shamelessness is also a initial step in the path that leads to abandon birth, old age, death (enlightenment) according to Thyodhamma sutta: please see the post below for more details:

"One bad Brick" - The fault finding mind

To listen to MP3 of Thyodhamma Suttahttp://www.gautamabuddha.ca/bana/english/14_Kitariri_Sutta.MP3(In the link it should read Thayodhamma sutta, not Kitagiri sutta)

Definition From "A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms"
hiri-ottappa [hiri-ottappa]: "Conscience and concern"; "moral shame and moral dread." These twin emotions — the "guardians of the world" — are associated with all skillful actions. Hiri is an inner conscience that restrains us from doing deeds that would jeopardize our own self-respect; ottappa is a healthy fear of committing unskillful deeds that might bring about harm to ourselves or others.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html

The difference between the two chariot wheels...

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"

"Yes, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said: "Once, monks, there was a king named Pacetana. One day King Pacetana said to his chariot maker, 'My good chariot maker, in six months time from now a battle will take place. Can you make me a new pair of chariot wheels?'

"'Yes, your majesty, I can,' the chariot maker replied to the king.

"Then in six months minus six days the chariot maker finished one wheel. King Pacetana said to him, 'In six days time from now the battle will take place. Will the pair of chariot wheels be finished?'

"'Your majesty, in these six months minus six days, I have finished one wheel.'

"'But can you finish the second wheel in these six days?'

"'Yes, your majesty, I can,' the chariot maker replied to the king.

"Then, after finishing the second wheel in six days, the chariot maker took the pair of wheels to the king and, on arrival, said to him, 'Here is your new pair of chariot wheels all finished, your majesty.'

"'And what is the difference between your wheel that took six months minus six days to finish, and your wheel that took six days to finish? I don't see any difference between them at all.'

"'There is a difference between them, your majesty. Look at the difference.' Then the chariot maker took the chariot wheel finished in six days and set it rolling. Going as far as its momentum carried it, it twirled around and around and fell to the ground. But then he took the chariot wheel finished in six months minus six days to finish and set it rolling. Going as far as its momentum carried it, it stood still as if fixed on an axle.

"'Now what is the reason, my good chariot maker, what is the cause, why the chariot wheel finished in six days, when set rolling, goes as far as its momentum carries it and then, twirling around and around, falls to the ground? And what is the reason, what is the cause, why the chariot wheel finished in six months minus six days, when set rolling, goes as far as its momentum carries it and then stands still as if fixed on an axle?'

"'Your majesty, as for the wheel finished in six days, its rim is crooked, with faults & flaws. Its spokes are crooked, with faults & flaws. Its hub is crooked, with faults & flaws. Because its rim... spokes... [&] hub are crooked, with faults & flaws, when set rolling it goes as far as its momentum carries it and then, twirling around and around, falls to the ground. But as for the wheel finished in six months minus six days, its rim is not crooked, with no faults or flaws. Its spokes are not crooked, with no faults or flaws. Its hub is not crooked, with no faults or flaws. Because its rim... spokes... [&] hub are not crooked, with no faults or flaws, when set rolling it goes as far as its momentum carries it and then stands still as if fixed on an axle.'

"Now, monks, the thought may occur to you that the chariot maker on that occasion was someone else, but it shouldn't be seen in that way. I myself was the chariot maker on that occasion. I was skilled in dealing with the crookedness, the faults, the flaws of wood. Now I am a worthy one, rightly self-awakened, skilled in dealing with the crookedness, faults, & flaws of bodily action; skilled in dealing with the crookedness, faults, & flaws of verbal action; skilled in dealing with the crookedness, faults, & flaws of mental action.

"Any monk or nun in whom the crookedness, faults, & flaws of bodily action are not abandoned; the crookedness, faults, & flaws of verbal action are not abandoned; the crookedness, faults, & flaws of mental action are not abandoned has fallen away from this Dhamma & Discipline, just like the wheel finished in six days. But any monk or nun in whom the crookedness, faults, & flaws of bodily action are abandoned; the crookedness, faults, & flaws of verbal action are abandoned; the crookedness, faults, & flaws of mental action are abandoned stands firm in this Dhamma & Discipline, just like the wheel finished in six months minus six days.

"Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will abandon crookedness, faults, & flaws in bodily action. We will abandon crookedness, faults, & flaws in verbal action. We will abandon crookedness, faults, & flaws in mental action.' That's how you should train yourselves."

---

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.015.than.html

Not startled, like a lion at sounds...

Not startled, like a lion at sounds.
Not snared, like the wind in a net.
Not smeared, like a lotus in water:
wander alone...
Khaggavisana Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.03.than.html#lion

For one who is born there is no freedom from death

"'Just as a river flowing down from the mountains, going far, its current swift, carrying everything with it, so that there is not a moment, an instant, a second where it stands still, but instead it goes & rushes & flows, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a river flowing down from the mountains — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

Arakenanusasani Sutta

Araka's Teaching

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.070.than.html#river

Just as a person who is skillful in dressing wounds in the cows...

One who is skillful in looking after a cow herd is also very skillful in dressing wounds in the cows to maintain a healthy cow herd (read the sutta for the other 10 methods and similes).

Just like that...

"How does a monk dress wounds?

There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

On hearing a sound with the ear... On smelling an odor with the nose... On tasting a flavor with the tongue... On touching a tactile sensation with the body... (same as for the eye)

On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect. This is how a monk dresses wounds.

To read the full sutta:

Gopalaka Sutta

The Cowherd

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an11/an11.018.than.html#eggs

Aging and death are rolling in...

"What do you think, great king? Suppose a man, trustworthy and reliable, were to come to you from the east and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the east. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings [in its path]. Do whatever you think should be done.' Then a second man were to come to you from the west... Then a third man were to come to you from the north... Then a fourth man were to come to you from the south and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the south. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings. Do whatever you think should be done.' If, great king, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life — the human state being so hard to obtain — what should be done?"

"If, lord, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life — the human state being so hard to obtain — what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?"

"I inform you, great king, I announce to you, great king: aging and death are rolling in on you. When aging and death are rolling in on you, great king, what should be done?"

"As aging and death are rolling in on me, lord, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?

Pabbatopama Sutta
The Simile of the Mountains