The Vīṇopama Sutta - The Simile of the Lute
Disciples, whenever for a disciple or a nun desire, passion, ill-will, delusion, or mental aversion arises based on forms cognizable by the eye, they should restrain the mind from there.
This path is fraught with fear, fear-inducing, thorny, full of obstructions, bound and misleading, causing distress.
This is the path followed by inferior people, not by those of noble character.
You should not engage in that.
Thus, one should restrain the mind from forms cognizable by the eye...
Similarly whenever for a disciple or a nun desire, passion, ill-will, delusion, or mental aversion arises based on tastes cognizable by the tongue...
Similarly whenever for a disciple or a nun desire, passion, ill-will, delusion, or mental aversion arises based on thoughts cognizable by the mind, one should restrain the mind from there.
This path is fraught with fear, fear-inducing, thorny, full of obstructions, bound and misleading, causing distress.
This is the path followed by inferior people, not by those of noble character.
You should not engage in that.
Thus, one should restrain the mind from thoughts cognizable by the mind.
Just as when there is a well-cultivated field and the field guard is negligent, if a cow that grazes in fields should enter the field and roam according to its desire, it would engage in heedlessness;
Similarly an unlearned ordinary person, unrestrained in the six sense bases, indulges in the five cords of sense satisfaction, according to their desire, and becomes heedless.
But just as if the field guard is attentive and a cow that grazes in fields approaches the field, the guard would hold it securely by the nose.
Holding it securely by the nose, he would control it well above the head.
Controlling it well above the head, he would strike it with a stick.
And after striking it with a stick, he would let it go.
A second time too, disciples...
A third time too if a cow that grazes in fields approaches the field, the guard would hold it securely by the nose, holding it securely by the nose, he would control it well above the head.
Controlling it well above the head, he would strike it with a stick, and after striking it with a stick, he would let it go.
Thus if that cow that grazes in fields goes to the village or the forest, whether standing or sitting down, it would never enter that field again, remembering just that previous sensation of being struck with a stick.
Just as when a disciple's mind becomes agitated among the six bases of contact, it remains troubled, it settles internally, it settles down, becomes singular, becomes collected.
Suppose there was a king or royal minister who had never heard the sound of a lute.
He would hear the sound of the lute.
He might say, ‘Oh, what is this sound that is so enticing, captivating, intoxicating, entrancing, so binding?
They would say to him, ‘Sir, this is what is called a lute, the sound of which is so enticing, captivating, intoxicating, entrancing, so binding.
He might say, ‘Bring me that lute.
They would bring him the lute.
They would say to him, ‘This, sir, is the lute whose sound is so enticing, captivating, intoxicating, entrancing, so binding.
He might say, ‘Enough of this lute for me, bring me only that sound.
They would say to him, ‘Sir, this lute is made of many components, it renders sound based on various conditions, such as relying on a belly, skin, handle, supporting frame, strings, a bow, and the effort of a skilled person. Only thus does this lute, composed of many components, render sound.
He would smash the lute into ten or a hundred pieces, having smashed it into ten or a hundred pieces, he would make them into chips.
Having made chips, he would burn them in fire, having burned them in fire, he would make them into ashes.
Having made them into ashes, he would scatter them in a strong wind, or let them be carried away by a swift river.
He might say, ‘Whatever this so-called lute might be, here people are excessively heedless, overly engaged, bewitched.
Just so the disciple investigates the form to the extent of form's range, he investigates sensation to the extent of sensation's range, he investigates perception to the extent of perception's range, he investigates mental formations to the extent of the formations range, he investigates consciousness to the extent of consciousness's range.
As he investigates form to the extent of form's range...
he investigates sensation... he investigates perception... he investigates mental formations...
he investigates consciousness to the extent of consciousness's range.
He does not have what is considered as I am, or mine, or I exist.