SN35.247 — The Simile of Six Animals
Disciples, suppose a man, with limbs intact and healthy, were to enter a thorny forest. Thorns would prick his feet, and the leaves would scratch his body. In this way, the man would experience pain and distress to a greater extent because of this reason.
Similarly a certain disciple, whether in a village or in the forest, finds someone who speaks of him thus: This venerable one behaves in such a way, conducts himself in such a manner, and is a thorn in the village. Knowing this as a thorn, one should know both restraint and lack of restraint.
And how is there lack of restraint? Here a disciple, having seen a form with the eye, is attracted to a pleasing form and repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells with a mind that is not well established in body mindfulness and is of limited awareness. He does not know as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, where those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder.
Having heard a sound with the ear... having smelled an odor with the nose... having tasted a flavor with the tongue... having felt a tangible object with the body... having cognized a mental object with the mind, he is attracted to a pleasing mental object and repelled by a displeasing mental object. He dwells with a mind that is not well established in body mindfulness and is of limited awareness. He does not know as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, where those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder.
Suppose a man were to catch six animals of different domains and different habitats and tie them with a strong rope. He would catch a snake and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a crocodile and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a bird and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a dog and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a jackal and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a greatape and tie it with a strong rope.
Having tied them with a strong rope, he would make a knot in the middle and release them. Then those six animals of different domains and different habitats would pull towards their respective habitats: the snake would pull towards the anthill, the crocodile towards the water, the bird towards the sky, the dog towards the village, the jackal towards the charnel ground, and the greatape towards the forest.
When those six animals become exhausted and worn out, then whichever of them is the strongest, they would follow, conform to, and come under its control. Similarly for any disciple who has not developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, the eye pulls towards pleasing forms, and displeasing forms are repulsive... the mind pulls towards pleasing mental objects, and displeasing mental objects are repulsive.
This is how there is lack of restraint. And how is there restraint?
Here a disciple, having seen a form with the eye, is not attracted to a pleasing form and is not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells with a mind that is well established in body mindfulness and is of boundless awareness. He knows as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, where those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder... having tasted a flavor with the tongue... having cognized a mental object with the mind, he is not attracted to a pleasing mental object and is not repelled by a displeasing mental object. He dwells with a mind that is well established in body mindfulness and is of boundless awareness. He knows as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, where those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder.
Suppose a man were to catch six animals of different domains and different habitats and tie them with a strong rope. He would catch a snake and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a crocodile and tie it with a strong rope. He would catch a bird... a dog... a jackal... a greatape and tie it with a strong rope. Having tied them with a strong rope, he would bind them to a strong post or pillar. Then those six animals of different domains and different habitats would pull towards their respective habitats: the snake would pull towards the anthill, the crocodile towards the water, the bird towards the sky, the dog towards the village, the jackal towards the charnel ground, and the greatape towards the forest. When those six animals become exhausted and worn out, they would stand, sit, or lie down near that very post or pillar.
Similarly for any disciple who has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, the eye does not pull towards pleasing forms, and displeasing forms are not repulsive... the mind does not pull towards pleasing mental objects, and displeasing mental objects are not repulsive. This is how there is restraint. He does not delight in pleasant tastes ... nor does the mind delight in pleasant phenomena, and unpleasant phenomena do not become repulsive. Thus there is restraint.
Like a strong peg or post this is a term for mindfulness directed to the body. Therefore you should train yourselves thus: Mindfulness directed to the body will be developed, frequently practiced, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, consolidated, and well undertaken. Thus should you train yourselves.