Just as mushrooms that pop up from nowhere...

Defilements of the mind can be seen as mushrooms that pop up from nowhere, when the right conditions are present. There are three levels of defilements.* The defilements that are behave like mushrooms are the ones that stay dormant till the right conditions are present. They can be only uprooted completely with wisdom gained through insight, with mindfulness meditation.

*The three layers of "weeds" in the mind...

Also read:

How to dye a cloth pure in color?"

How is a donation endowed with six factors?

There is the case where there are the three factors of the donor, the three factors of the recipients.

Three factors of the donor:

1. There is the case where the donor, before giving, is glad.

2. While giving, his/her mind is bright & clear.

3. After giving is gratified.

The three factors of the recipients:

1. Free of passion or are practicing for the subduing of passion.

2. Free of aversion or practicing for the subduing of aversion.

3. Free of delusion or practicing for the subduing of delusion.

"Just as it is not easy to take the measure of the great ocean as 'just this many buckets of water, just this many hundreds of buckets of water, just this many thousands of buckets of water, or just this many hundreds of thousands of buckets of water.' It is simply reckoned as a great mass of water, incalculable, immeasurable. In the same way, it is not easy to take the measure of the merit of a donation thus endowed with six factors as 'just this much a bonanza of merit, a bonanza of what is skillful — a nutriment of bliss, heavenly, resulting in bliss, leading to heaven — that leads to what is desirable, pleasing, charming, beneficial, pleasant.' It is simply reckoned as a great mass of merit, incalculable, immeasurable."

Dana Sutta: Giving

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.037.than.html

The origin of the world

Buddha said:
"There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured*
about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured
about them.

One of them is:
"Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an
unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring
madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

Acintita Sutta: Unconjecturable
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

(*conjectured- Inference or judgment based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence; guesswork.)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html

And why is that:
".... Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to
the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to
dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-
awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html


If not it will be like (a simile):
"It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with
poison. His friends & companions, kinsmen & relatives would provide
him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow
removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble
warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't
have this arrow removed until I know the given name & clan name of the
man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or
short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or golden-
colored... until I know his home village, town, or city... until I
know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow or a
crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was
wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I
know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or
cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with
which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a
peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which
I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a
langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed
until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a
common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander
arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown
to him.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.063.than.html

If that is the case why did Buddha discuss origin of the world and end of the world in some suttas?
Agganna sutta* (origin of the world) was discussed mainly to teach the origin of the cast system in India at the time. The Spatha Suriyagamana sutta** (end of the world or the disclose of the seven suns) was discussed to show the impermanent nature of all conditioned things. In both these suttas Buddha the key message is that the Dhamma is the refuge for us all.

*http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Agganna_Sutta

**http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/oc/gppt6.htm


Also read: http://www.astronomy.net/forums/god/messages/31506.shtml

Related subjects for further reading:

Origin of the Belief in a Creator God

1. http://buddhadhamma-yoav.blogspot.com/2010/09/origin-of-belief-in-creator-god.html

2. http://www.dhammikaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Buddhism_and_the_God_Idea_.pdf

Five forms of stinginess...

"Monks, there are these five forms of stinginess.

1. Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings]
2. Stinginess as to one's family [of supporters]
3. Stinginess as to one's gains
4. Stinginess as to one's status
5. Stinginess as to the Dhamma

... And the meanest of these five is this: stinginess as to the Dhamma."

AN 5.254-271

PTS: A iii 272

Macchariya Suttas: Stinginess

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.254.than.html

Five future dangers (for monks)...

"Monks, these five future dangers, unarisen at present, will arise in the future. Be alert to them and, being alert, work to get rid of them. Which five?

"There will be, in the course of the future, monks undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment. They — being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment —

1. Will give full ordination to others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. They — being undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment — will give full ordination to still others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the first future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.

2. Will take on others as students and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. They — being undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment — will take on still others as students and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the second future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


3. When giving a talk on higher Dhamma or a talk composed of questions and answers, will fall into dark mental states without being aware of it. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the third future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


4. Will not listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, profound, transcendent, connected with the Void — are being recited. They will not lend ear, will not set their hearts on knowing them, will not regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as worth grasping and mastering. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the fourth future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


5. Will become elders living in luxury, lethargic, foremost in falling back, shirking the duties of solitude. They will not make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. They will become an example for later generations, who will become luxurious in their living, lethargic, foremost in falling back, shirking the duties of solitude, and who will not make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the fifth future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.

"These, monks, are the five future dangers, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to them and, being alert, work to get rid of them."
Anagata-bhayani Sutta: The Discourse on Future Dangers (3)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Like a man in search of heartwood that would carry branches and leaves thinking it is the heartwood...

Brahmin, a certain person leaving his household would go forth as a homeless, out of faith thinking I am submerged in birth, decay, death, grief lament unpleasantness and distress. It is only a few that declare the complete ending of unpleasanatness. Gone forth thus, he is reborn in gain, honour and fame. Satisfied with it and his desires fulfilled, he would praise himself and disparages others. I am a gainer of hospitality, these other bhikkhus are impotent and not wise. He does not arouse interest or effort to realise something more exalted than gain, honour and fame and abides infatuated and lethargic.

Like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing huge tree with heartwood. He would ignore its heartwood, sapwood, bark and shoots, cutting the branches and leaves and would carry them away thinking it is the heartwood. For whatever purpose he needs the heartwood, to that purpose he would not come. Brahmin, I say, this person is comparable to that.

MN 30: Culasaropama Sutta (The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood)

Just as when a peak-roofed house is poorly roofed...

"Householder, when the mind is unprotected, bodily actions are unprotected as well, verbal actions are unprotected as well, mental actions are unprotected as well. When one's bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental actions are unprotected, one's bodily actions get soggy, one's verbal actions get soggy, one's mental actions get soggy.

When one's bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental actions are soggy, one's bodily actions... verbal actions... mental actions rot. When one's bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental actions rot, one's death is not auspicious, the mode of one's dying not good.

"Just as when a peak-roofed house is poorly roofed: The peak of the roof is unprotected, the roof beams are unprotected, the walls are unprotected. The peak of the roof... the roof beams... the walls get soggy. The peak of the roof... the roof beams... the walls then rot.

Kuta Sutta: The Peak of the Roof
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Four courses of action...

1. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable (not worth doing for both reasons).

2. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable (Wise after reflecting will do it, fool will not reflect and will not do it).

3. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable (Wise after reflecting will not do it, fool will not reflect and will do it).

4. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable (worth doing for both reasons).

AN 4.115

PTS: A ii 118

Thana Sutta: Courses of Action

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.115.than.html

Reflection of action mind, body and speech is the key difference between the wise and the fool (better translated as skillful and unskillful). Reflection should ideally be done before, during and after each action)

Please read the post below:What is a mirror for? Reflection. In the same way...

What is a mirror for? Reflection. In the same way...

"What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"

"For reflection, sir."

"In the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental
actions are to be done with repeated reflection. (before, during and after their action)

MN 61 PTS: M i 414
Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Like a foot path that is has been covered by weeds...

Sometimes when you travel along this path* of Dhamma, some things you hear are so familiar you just know for sure that you have heard them before. It is possible that we all have traveled this path before but somehow we did not complete our journey. But now again we have got this opportunity to travel the path right to the end. It is just like you have discovered a foot path that is has been covered by weeds and you now clearing it again.

* The Noble Eightfold Path

There are these four types of thoroughbred horses...

"There are these four types of excellent thoroughbred horses to be found existing in the world.

1. There is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

2. "Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, but when his coat is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

3. "Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, but when his hide is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

4. "Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, or when his hide is pricked, but when his bone is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

"Now, there are these four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world.

1. "There is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person hears, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

2. "Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' But he himself sees a man or woman in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its coat is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

3. "Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead. But he sees one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its hide is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

4. "Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead, nor does he see one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. But he himself is touched by bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its bone is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world."

Patoda Sutta: The Goad-stick

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.113.than.html

One's shelter after death...

"This world is swept away by AGEING, by ILLNESS, by DEATH."

"With the world thus swept away by aging, illness, & death, any restraint of body, speech, & mind(intellect) practiced here will be one's shelter, cave, island, & refuge after death in the world beyond."

Dvejana Sutta: Two People (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

One whose passion, aversion, & ignorance are washed away...

One whose passion, aversion, & ignorance
are washed away,
has crossed over this ocean
with its sharks,
demons,
dangerous waves,
so hard to cross.

§ 69. {Iti 3.20; Iti 57}

Itivuttaka: The Group of Threes
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu