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"The five senses arising with their objects are unimpeded radiance.
What is born from not grasping at objects is the unborn basic state.
Attachment to appearances may be unceasing but reverse it: meditate naturally settled.
Empty appearances arising free from the intellect is the path of natural expressions.
Do not see appearances as problems, let go of clinging.
There will come a time when you will arrive in the valley of one taste meditation." - Yang Gönpa
Astus: There is no consciousness apart from the aggregates (SN 22.53). It's not appearances but clinging that causes suffering (SN 35.191), and when there is no clinging, nirvana is attained in this life (SN 35.118). - https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=36909&p=587939&hilit=CLINGING#p587939
To Koṭṭhita
Koṭṭhita Sutta (SN 35:191)
NavigationSuttas/SN/35:191
Once, Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita were
staying near Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then Ven. Mahā
Koṭṭhita, in the evening, left his seclusion and went to Ven. Sāriputta.
On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an
exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As
he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, “Now tell me, friend
Sāriputta, is the eye the fetter of forms, or are forms the fetter of
the eye? Is the ear… Is the nose… Is the tongue… Is the body… Is the
intellect the fetter of ideas, or are ideas the fetter of the
intellect?”
“No, my friend. The eye is not the fetter of forms, nor
are forms the fetter of the eye. Whatever desire-passion arises in
dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not
the fetter of sounds… The nose is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue
is not the fetter of flavors… The body is not the fetter of tactile
sensations… The intellect is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the
fetter of the intellect. Whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on
the two of them: That is the fetter there.
“Suppose that a black ox and a white ox were joined
with a single collar or yoke. If someone were to say, ‘The black ox is
the fetter of the white ox, the white ox is the fetter of the
black’—speaking this way, would he be speaking rightly?”
“No, my friend. The black ox is not the fetter of the
white ox, nor is the white ox the fetter of the black. The single collar
or yoke by which they are joined: That is the fetter there.”
“In the same way, the eye is not the fetter of forms,
nor are forms the fetter of the eye. Whatever desire-passion arises in
dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not
the fetter of sounds…The nose is not the fetter of aromas…The tongue is
not the fetter of flavors…The body is not the fetter of tactile
sensations… The intellect is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the
fetter of the intellect. Whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on
the two of them: That is the fetter there.
“If the eye were the fetter of forms, or if forms were
the fetter of the eye, then this holy life for the right ending of
stress & suffering would not be proclaimed. But because whatever
desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them is the fetter
there, that is why this holy life for the right ending of stress &
suffering is proclaimed.
“If the ear were the fetter…
“If the nose were the fetter…
“If the tongue were the fetter…
“If the body were the fetter…
“If the intellect were the fetter of ideas, or if ideas
were the fetter of the intellect, then this holy life for the right
ending of stress & suffering would not be proclaimed. But because
whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them is the
fetter there, that is why this holy life for the right ending of stress
& suffering is proclaimed.
“And through this line of reasoning one may know how
the eye is not the fetter of forms, nor are forms the fetter of the eye,
but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them:
That is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds… The nose
is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue is not the fetter of flavors…
The body is not the fetter of tactile sensations… The intellect is not
the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the intellect, but
whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them: That is
the fetter there. There is an eye in the Blessed One. The Blessed One
sees forms with the eye. There is no desire or passion in the Blessed
One. The Blessed One is well released in mind.
“There is an ear in the Blessed One…
“There is a nose in the Blessed One…
“There is a tongue in the Blessed One…
“There is a body in the Blessed One…
“There is an intellect in the Blessed One. The Blessed
One knows ideas with the intellect. There is no desire or passion in the
Blessed One. The Blessed One is well released in mind.
“It is through this line of reasoning that one may know
how the eye is not the fetter of forms, nor are forms the fetter of the
eye, but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of
them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds… The
nose is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue is not the fetter of
flavors… The body is not the fetter of tactile sensations… The intellect
is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the intellect,
but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them:
That is the fetter there.”
See also: SN 22:48; SN 27:1–10
Linked Discourses 22
6. Involvement
53. Involvement
At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, if you’re involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.
As
long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with form,
supported by form, founded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it
would grow, increase, and mature.
Or consciousness would remain involved with feeling …
Or consciousness would remain involved with perception …
Or
as long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with
choices, supported by choices, grounded on choices. And with a sprinkle
of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.
Mendicants, suppose you say: ‘Apart
from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming
and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its
growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.
If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.
If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element …
perception element …
choices element …
consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness. Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, with no power to regenerate, it is freed.
Being
free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re
not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.
They
understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been
completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any
state of existence.’”
Linked Discourses 35
12. The World and the Kinds of Sensual Stimulation
118. The Question of Sakka
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. And then Sakka, lord of gods, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:
“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason why some sentient beings aren’t fully extinguished in the present life? What is the cause, what is the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in the present life?”
“Lord of gods, there are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished.
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished. That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings aren’t fully extinguished in the present life.
There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished.
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished. That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in the present life.”
