SN35.248 — The Sheaf of Barley Discourse
“Disciples, suppose there was a sheaf of barley placed at a crossroads. Then six men would come along, each carrying a flail. They would strike that sheaf of barley with the six flails. In this way, disciples, that sheaf of barley would be well struck by being hit with the six flails. Then a seventh man would come along, carrying a flail. He would strike that sheaf of barley with the seventh flail. In this way, disciples, that sheaf of barley would be even more thoroughly struck by being hit with the seventh flail.
In the same way, disciples, an uninstructed ordinary person is struck at the eye by agreeable and disagreeable forms... at the tongue by agreeable and disagreeable tastes... at the mind by agreeable and disagreeable mental phenomena. If that uninstructed ordinary person, disciples, intends for future rebirth, then that foolish person is even more thoroughly struck, just as that sheaf of barley is struck by the seventh flail.
Once upon a time, disciples, a battle between the devas and the asuras was arrayed. Then, disciples, Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, addressed the asuras: If, sirs, in this battle between the devas and the asuras, the asuras win and the devas are defeated, then bind Sakka, the lord of the devas, with fivefold bonds and bring him to me in the city of the asuras.
Sakka, the lord of the devas, also addressed the Tāvatiṁsa devas: If, sirs, in this battle between the devas and the asuras, the devas win and the asuras are defeated, then bind Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, with fivefold bonds and bring him to me in the Sudhamma hall of the devas.
In that battle, disciples, the devas won, and the asuras were defeated. Then, disciples, the Tāvatiṁsa devas bound Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, with fivefold bonds and brought him to Sakka, the lord of the devas, in the Sudhamma hall of the devas.
There, disciples, Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, was bound with fivefold bonds. When, disciples, Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, thought, The devas are righteous, the asuras are unrighteous, now I will go to the city of the devas, then he saw himself released from the fivefold bonds and enjoyed himself, supplied and endowed with the fivefold divine pleasures.
But when, disciples, Vepacitti, the lord of the asuras, thought...
The Asuras are righteous, the Devas are unrighteous; therefore, I shall go to the city of the Asuras. Then he perceives himself bound by five bonds at the neck and deprived of the five divine pleasures. Thus, disciples, the bond of Vepacitti is subtle. More subtle than that is the bond of Māra. One who thinks, disciples, is bound by Māra; one who does not think is freed from the Evil One.
This is I am, disciples, this is the thought, I am this, this is the thought, I shall be, this is the thought, I shall not be, this is the thought, I shall be with form, this is the thought, I shall be formless, this is the thought, I shall be with perception, this is the thought, I shall be without perception, this is the thought, I shall be neither with nor without perception.
Thinking, disciples, is a disease, thinking is a tumor, thinking is a dart. Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from thinking. Thus, disciples, should you train yourselves.
This is I am, disciples, this is the agitation, I am this, this is the agitation, I shall be, this is the agitation, I shall not be, this is the agitation, I shall be with form, this is the agitation, I shall be formless, this is the agitation, I shall be with perception, this is the agitation, I shall be without perception, this is the agitation, I shall be neither with nor without perception.
Agitation, disciples, is a disease, agitation is a tumor, agitation is a dart. Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from agitation. Thus, disciples, should you train yourselves.
This is I am, disciples, this is the fluttering, I am this, this is the fluttering, I shall be, this is the fluttering, I shall not be, this is the fluttering, I shall be with form, this is the fluttering, I shall be formless, this is the fluttering, I shall be with perception, this is the fluttering, I shall be without perception, this is the fluttering, I shall be neither with nor without perception.
Fluttering, disciples, is a disease, fluttering is a tumor, fluttering is a dart. Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from fluttering. Thus, disciples, should you train yourselves.
This is I am, disciples, this is the proliferation, I am this, this is the proliferation, I shall be, this is the proliferation, I shall not be, this is the proliferation, I shall be with form, this is the proliferation, I shall be formless, this is the proliferation, I shall be with perception, this is the proliferation, I shall be without perception, this is the proliferation, I shall be neither with nor without perception.
Proliferation, disciples, is a disease, proliferation is a tumor, proliferation is a dart. Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from proliferation. Thus, disciples, should you train yourselves.
Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from proliferation. For this is how you should train, disciples.
The thought I am is a conceit, disciples; the thought I am this is a conceit; the thought I will be is a conceit; the thought I will not be is a conceit; the thought I will have form is a conceit; the thought I will be formless is a conceit; the thought I will be percipient is a conceit; the thought I will be non-percipient is a conceit; the thought I will be neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient is a conceit.
Conceit, disciples, is a disease, conceit is a tumor, conceit is a dart. Therefore, disciples, you should train yourselves thus: We will dwell with a mind free from conceit. For this is how you should train, disciples.