SN47.7 — The Monkey
Disciples, there are steep, uneven places in the Himalayas, the king of mountains, where neither monkeys nor humans can roam.
There are steep, uneven places in the Himalayas, the king of mountains, where monkeys can roam but humans cannot.
There are level, delightful tracts of land in the Himalayas, the king of mountains, where both monkeys and humans can roam.
There hunters lay traps of sticky pitch on the monkey trails to catch monkeys.
There, those monkeys who are not foolish or greedy see that pitch and avoid it from afar.
But a monkey who is foolish and greedy approaches that pitch and grabs it with his hand.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking, ‘I will free my hand, he grabs it with his other hand.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking, ‘I will free both hands, he grabs it with his foot.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking, ‘I will free both hands and my foot, he grabs it with his other foot.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking, ‘I will free both hands and both feet, he grabs it with his snout.
He gets stuck there.
In this way that monkey, snared in five ways, lies wailing, having fallen into ruin and disaster, to be done with as the hunter wishes.
Then the hunter skewers him, slings him onto a wooden carrying-pole, and departs wherever he wishes.
This is what happens to one who roams in an improper domain, in the territory of others.
Therefore do not roam in an improper domain, in the territory of others.
For one roaming in an improper domain, in the territory of others, Māra will gain an opening, Māra will gain a foothold.
And what is not a disciple’s proper domain, but the territory of others?
It is this:
the five strands of sense satisfaction.
What five?
Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, endearing, connected with sense satisfaction, and provocative.
Sounds known by the ear …
Smells known by the nose …
Tastes known by the tongue …
Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, endearing, connected with sense satisfaction, and provocative.
This is not a disciple’s proper domain, but the territory of others.
Disciples, roam in your proper domain, your own ancestral territory.
For one roaming in their proper domain, in their own ancestral territory, Māra will not gain an opening, Māra will not gain a foothold.
And what is a disciple’s proper domain, their own ancestral territory?
It is this:
the four dwellings of mindfulness.
What four?
Here a disciple contemplates attending the body in the body:ardent, fully aware, and mindful:having given up longing and displeasure for the world;
attending feelings …
attending the mind …
He dwells contemplating mental phenomena in mental phenomena, ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, having removed craving and aversion regarding the world.
This is a disciple’s proper domain, their own ancestral territory.