Liberation requires zeal

An Eternal Now SG

Moral of sutta: to awaken and be liberated or to achieve any results from practice, one must be free of the distractions of doubt and lust, and strive fervently with zeal in one’s practice. Only then can one practice well bear fruit.

If one is haunted by doubt, or obsessed with anger, or obsessed with lust for sensual enjoyment, sex, food, sleep, or lacking in enthusiastic zeal and devotion for the dharma, one can never expect to practice well, and one can never be expected to awaken.

Why? Such a mind cannot be expected to gain concentration. He cannot be expected to settle his mind and practice.

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MN 16 Cetokhila Sutta – The Wilderness in the Heart
SATURDAY, 23 JANUARY 2010 17:15

1. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.” – “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

2. “Bhikkhus, that any bhikkhu who has not abandoned five wildernesses in the heart and not severed five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase, and fulfillment in this Dhamma and Discipline—that is impossible.

3. “What, bhikkhus, are the five wildernesses in the heart that he has not abandoned? Here a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain undecided, and unconfident about the Teacher, and thus his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, that is the first wilderness in the heart that he has not abandoned.

4. “Again, a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain, undecided, and unconfident about the Dhamma…As his mind does not incline to ardor.. .that is the second wilderness in the heart that he has not abandoned.

5. “Again, a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain, undecided, and unconfident about the Sangha…As his mind does not incline to ardor…that is the third wilderness in the heart that he has not abandoned.

6. “Again, a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain, undecided, and unconfident about the training…As his mind does not incline to ardor.. .that is the fourth wilderness in the heart that he has not abandoned.

7. “Again, a bhikkhu is angry and displeased with his companions in the holy life, resentful and callous towards them, and thus his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, that is the fifth wilderness in the that he has not abandoned. “These are the five wildernesses in the heart that he has not abandoned.

8. “What, bhikkhus, are the five shackles in the heart that he has not severed? Here a bhikkhu is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for sensual pleasures, and thus his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, that is the first shackle in the heart that he has not severed.

9. “Again, a bhikkhu is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for the body…As his mind does not incline to ardor…that is the second shackle in the heart that he has not severed.

10. “Again, a bhikkhu is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for form.. .As his mind does not incline to ardor…that is the third shackle in the heart that he has not severed.

11. “Again, a bhikkhu eats as much as he likes until his belly is full and indulges in the pleasures of sleeping, lolling, and drowsing…As his mind does not incline to ardor…that is the fourth shackle in the heart that he has not severed.

12. “Again, a bhikkhu lives the holy life aspiring to some order of gods thus: ‘By this virtue or observance or asceticism or holy life, I shall become a [great] god or some [lesser] god,’ and thus his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind does not incline to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, this is the fifth shackle in the heart that he has not severed.

“These are the five shackles in the heart that he has not severed.

13. “Bhikkhus, that any bhikkhu who has not abandoned these five wildernesses in the heart and severed these five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase, and fulfillment in this Dhamma and Discipline—that is impossible.

14. “Bhikkhus, that any bhikkhu who has abandoned five wildernesses in the heart and severed five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase, and fulfillment in this Dhamma and Discipline—that is possible.

15. “What, bhikkhus, are the five wildernesses in the heart that he has abandoned? Here a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided, or unconfident about the Teacher, and thus his inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, this first wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.

16. “Again, a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided or unconfident about the Dhamma…As his mind inclines to ardor…this second wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.

17. “Again, a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided, or unconfident about the Sangha…As his mind inclines to ardor…this third wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.

18. “Again, a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided, or unconfident about the training…As his mind inclines to ardor…this fourth wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.

19. “Again, a bhikkhu is not angry and displeased with his companions in the holy life, nor resentful and callous towards them, and thus his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, this fifth wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.

“These are the five wildernesses in the heart that he has abandoned.

20. “What, bhikkhus, are the five shackles in the heart that he has severed? Here a bhikkhu is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for sensual pleasures, and thus his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, this first shackle in the heart has been severed by him.

21. “Again, a bhikkhu is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for the body…As his mind inclines to ardor…this second shackle in the heart has been severed by him.

22. “Again, a bhikkhu is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for form…As his mind inclines to ardor…this third shackle in the heart has been severed by him.

23. “Again, a bhikkhu does not eat as much as he likes until his belly is full and does not indulge in the pleasures of sleeping, lolling, and drowsing…As his mind inclines to ardor…this fourth shackle in the heart has been severed by him.

24. “Again, a bhikkhu does not live the holy life aspiring to some order of gods thus: ‘By this virtue or observance or asceticism or holy life, I shall become a [great] god or some (lesser] god,’ and thus his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving. As his mind inclines to ardor, devotion, perseverance, and striving, this fifth shackle in the heart has been severed by him.

“These are the five shackles in the heart that he has severed.

25. “Bhikkhus, that any bhikkhu who has abandoned these five wildernesses in the heart and severed these five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase, and fulfillment in this Dhamma and Discipline—that is possible.

26. “He develops the basis for spiritual power consisting in concentration due to zeal and determined striving; he develops the basis for spiritual power consisting in concentration due to energy and determined striving; he develops the basis for spiritual power consisting in concentration due to [purity of] mind and determined striving; he develops the basis for spiritual power; consisting in concentration due to investigation and determined striving. And enthusiasm is the fifth.

27. “A bhikkhu who thus possesses the fifteen factors including enthusiasm is capable of breaking out, capable of enlightenment, capable of attaining the supreme security from bondage.

“Suppose there were a hen with eight, ten, or twelve eggs, which she had covered, incubated, and nurtured properly. Even though she did not wish: ‘Oh, that my chicks might pierce their shells with the points of their claws and beaks and hatch out safely!’ yet the chicks are capable of piercing their shells with the points of their claws and beaks and hatching out safely. So too, a bhikkhu who thus possesses the fifteen factors including enthusiasm is capable of breaking out, capable of enlightenment, capable of attaining the supreme security from bondage.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Jui SG

Thanks for the reminder :)

jinlin SG

Good Sutta, I definitely have heavy shackles in my heart, I don't quite get what is these three refer to tho, craving for (1)sensual pleasures,(2) body ,(3) form what is the difference between craving for body and craving for form

sinweiy SG

the body "contact" with form, experience sensual pleasures.

sort of a noun, verb, adject, or object, subject thingy. :)

eg, boy like girl.

boy is the body.

girl is the form.

like is the sensual pleasures.

An Eternal Now SG

I believe form here implies visual form, while body here implies objects of body-contact leading to the touch-sensation.

An Eternal Now SG

8. Tanha = Craving for sights; craving for sounds; craving for odors; craving for tastes; craving for bodily sensations; craving for mind objects: the six cravings.[8]

An Eternal Now SG

When the Buddha talks about 'body', he is not talking about a tangible object with shape and form as we think of it. This idea of a body is totally delusional and not to be found in our direct experience. This construct of a body is what creates the sense of separation and alienation from the world at large. It creates a division of an 'inner' and an 'outer'. When we investigate our direct experience, we only find disconnected, spontaneously arising and ceasing touch sensations and visual experiences arising through dependent origination that we, through ignorance, link them up into one solid image/construct of what we feel as 'our body'. We should strip ourselves of such erroneous concepts, investigate our naked experience and challenge this construct, by deconstructing body into its constituent sensations. This is part of the purpose of practicing vipassana or insight meditation.

Aik TC SG

Craving for Form here could mean the craving to be reborn into the Form realm of the ‘Gods’ which consisted of up to 22 levels. Above that is the Formless Realm and below the Form Realm is the Kamadhatu which is the ‘six realms’ in which one of them is the human plane that we are now in.

jinlin SG

Thanks for the replies, so in my case, overindulging with movies for example.

form: I crave nice images

sensation: i crave excitement

body: it's more like an avoidance mechanism, there is other task that I am supposed to do which I don't like and this aversion cause discomfort in the body which I am suppressing instead of investigating

sinweiy SG

i was thinking the desire, form, formless realms sort of showed the stages of one's life. at younger age, we are more indulge in desire, food, fun etc. and at a medium age, people like to travel, go see some nice mountain, sea, beautiful things. these are more on form. then at older age, it's more on relaxing, no so much on desire or form. :)

Hitman Chief (Barium) SG

for a while there i thought this was under politics.think in old age ,folks like a relaxing enviroment in quiet scenic areas with blue clouds and white clouds and mountains.i dun think a fish market enviroment is relaxing.

An Eternal Now SG

Dhammapada: Appamādavagga
Chapter 2 — Verses 21 to 32
2. Diligence

21


Diligence is the path to the Deathless,
And negligence the pathway to death.
They perish not, those who are diligent;
The negligent are like unto the dead.

22
&23


The wise, recognising the special quality of diligence, rejoice in it, delighting in the realm of morally outstanding people (ariyans). They apply themselves constantly and unwaveringly. The steadfast reach Nibbana, ultimate safety.

24


People who are
          energetic,
          attentive,
          pure in conduct,
          careful in conduct,
          restrained,
          of right livelihood,
          diligent,
their glory grows.

25


The wise by means of
          energy,
          diligence,
          sense restraint,
          self-taming,
make an island which no flood can destroy.

26


They’re given to slackness, the dull and inane;
The wise foster diligence, their paramount gain.

27


Don’t be given to negligence;
Turn aside from sensual treats.
The diligent one who meditates
Gets joy that’s abundantly sweet.

28


With negligence scattered by diligent power,
The sage ascends great wisdom’s tower.
On the sorrowing masses he looks, free of woe,
As if from a mountain on groundlings below.

29


Heedful amongst the oblivious,
Awake in the land of the sleeping,
The wise man proceeds
Like a galloping steed:
Passing faltering jades,
Leaves them standing.

30


Sakka, through heedful behaviour,
Was crowned as the sovereign deva.
Thus, heedfulness wins acclamation,
And slackness receives deprecation.

31


The monk who in diligence finds his delight,
Looking at negligence with fearful dislike,
Leaping ahead, like a flaming fireball,
Erases his fetters, the great and the small.

32


The monk who in diligence finds his delight,
Looking at negligence with fearful dislike,
Of falling away, he has no possibility;
He’s brought himself into Nibbana’s vicinity.