THE WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
The Path to Enlightenment
Revealing The Hidden
The Six Sense Bases
Volume 9
1

Note from Author 9
Preface 15
The Six Sense Bases 15
Chapter 1 20
The Six Sense Bases 20
Chapter 2 23
The Simile of The Great Log 23
Chapter 3 28
Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure 28
Chapter 4 33
One Who Guards The Doors of The Six Sense Bases 33
Chapter 5 35
One To Reach Growth, Increase, and Maturity in This Training Discipline 35
Chapter 6 39
The Three Underlying Tendencies 39
Chapter 7 44
Who Seeks Excitement in Discontentedness is Not Freed From Discontentedness 44
Chapter 8 46
Who Seeks Excitement in The Six Sense Bases Seeks Excitement in Discontentedness 46
Chapter 9 48
One Dwelling with Craving As A Partner 48
Chapter 10 51
Incapable of Growth, Increase, and Maturity in The Teachings and Discipline 51
Chapter 11 56
With Destruction of Excitement The Mind is Liberated 56
Chapter 12 58
Craving/Desire is the Root of Discontentedness 58
Chapter 13 59
What One Intends One Has a Tendency Towards 59
Chapter 14 60
Do Not Favor Existence Not Even For The Lasting of A Finger-Snap 60
Chapter 15 62
Craving is the Fuel of Rebirth 62
2

Chapter 16 67
With Gratification Craving Increases 67
Chapter 17 69
Craving is The Basis for Coming and Going Which is The Cause of Discontentedness 69
Chapter 18 71
The End of Coming and Going 71
Chapter 19 72
Excitement is Clinging One with Clinging is Not Liberated 72
Chapter 20 75
The Noble Eight Fold Path The Way of Practice Leading to the Elimination of
Discontentedness 75
Chapter 21 83
One Must Put Forth Extra Intention, Effort, and Energy 83
Chapter 22 86
Excitement to be Abandoned in All Acts 86
Chapter 23 88
The Four Efforts (First Discourse) 88
Chapter 24 92
The Four Efforts (Second Discourse) 92
Chapter 25 98
The Ending of The Round 98
Chapter 26 100
Mindfulness Directed to the Body “A Strong Post for Mind” 100
Chapter 27 104
The Simile of The Tortoise 104
Chapter 28 107
Sense-Control Leads To Liberating Wisdom and Insight 107
Chapter 29 109
Without Restraint One Dwells Negligently With Restraint One Resides Diligently 109
Chapter 30 111
Diligence is Declared to be The Chief 111
Chapter 31 114
Only With Sense Control That One Can Fulfill The Four Foundations of Mindfulness 114
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Chapter 32 116
Taints To Be Abandoned By Restraining 116
Chapter 33 118
Taints To Be Abandoned By Removing 118
Chapter 34 119
Benefit When Taints Are Abandoned 119
Chapter 35 122
Dispelling the Contact 122
Chapter 36 125
By Way of Right Intention 125
Chapter 37 129
One Who Dismantles Not Builds Up Abandons and Not Clings To The Five Aggregates 129
Chapter 38 135
See As It Really Is 135
Chapter 39 138
One Who Develops Mindfulness of Death Diligently for The Destruction of the Taints 138
Chapter 40 141
The Supreme Development of The Sense Bases 141
Chapter 41 143
One Who is Engaged is Unliberated One Who is Disengaged is Liberated 143
Chapter 42 146
Without Excitement The Three Underlying Tendencies Are Abandoned 146
Chapter 43 150
Freed From Discontentedness 150
Chapter 44 152
Transcending Physical Pain by Avoiding Mental Pain 152
Chapter 45 157
Four Persons Found Existing in the World 157
Chapter 46 161
Dedication Causes The Arising of Wholesome States 161
Chapter 47 163
Teachings and Discipline Will Be Your Teacher 163
Author 178
4

Restoration of The Buddha’s Teachings 179
The Path to Enlightenment 179
The Goal 181
An Entire Species of Enlightened Beings 181
Why Have I Decided to Teach The Path to Enlightenment as Taught by Gotama Buddha?
184
Why Have I Decided to Reside and Teach in Thailand in Order to Restore The Teachings
of The Buddha Back into Humanity and Create “Heaven on Earth”? 187
5

The author is donating 100% of all his proceeds from
this book to charitable work to share The Teachings
of Gotama Buddha.
You are welcome to freely distribute this book.
Please consider providing a donation to support the
continued sharing of these Teachings.
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The Path to Enlightenment.
6

THE WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
The Path to Enlightenment
Revealing The Hidden
Volume 1
Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment
Volume 2
Walking The Path with The Buddha
Volume 3
Foundation in The Teachings
Volume 4
Exploring The Path to Enlightenment
Volume 5
The First Stage of Enlightenment
(Stream-Enterer)
Volume 6
The Natural Law of Kamma
Volume 7
Breathing Mindfulness Meditation
Volume 8
The Foremost Householders
Volume 9
The Six Sense Bases
Volume 10
The Buddha’s Way
Volume 11
The Realms of Existence
Volume 12
Lowly Arts
Volume 13
Generosity
FREE Download, Print, or Kindle
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7

The Six Sense Bases (Volume 9)
Journey through The Words of The Buddha from the beginning of his first
Teaching until his “last words” prior to death.
The book, “The Sense Bases” is select Teachings from The Buddha
organized from the largest and most complete collection of The Buddha’s
Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment - The Pāli Canon.
The Pāli Canon, or The Pāli Text, comprises forty-five (45) large volumes of
books where Students from the lifetime of The Buddha captured his
Teachings. The discourses of The Buddha in The Pāli Canon represent the
largest and most complete collection we have of The Buddha’s Teachings in
his own words. The Buddha’s Teachings are scattered over multiple volumes
of books in The Pāli Canon making it challenging for the average Practitioner
to glean the benefit of his Teachings.
The Words of The Buddha book series, has consolidated and organized his
Teachings into a series of books, based on specific topics, with explanations
of The Teachings from a dedicated Practitioner and Teacher.
You will find books such as Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Volume 7) that
are the consolidated Teachings in The Words of The Buddha related to
meditation. The Natural Law of Kamma (Volume 6) provides Teachings
directly from The Buddha related to the important topic of Kamma. The
Foremost Householders (Volume 8) shares Teachings specifically for
Household Practitioners who are pursuing The Path to Enlightenment where
the mind is peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently.
The Words of The Buddha book series will provide a beginning, middle, and
end with detailed Teachings to develop your life practice and the ability to
seek guidance with the author of the book series. Learn, reflect, and practice
The Teachings of The Buddha, in his own words, with guidance from a
Teacher - offered openly and freely to “all beings”.
BuddhaDailyWisdom.com
8

Note from Author
This book shares Teachings from Gotama Buddha to guide Practitioners on
The Path to Enlightenment.
In various settings, Gotama Buddha is sharing Teachings with either a male
or a female - a husband or a wife.
As you learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings from Gotama Buddha,
you should consider The Teachings shared as multi-gendered. So while
Gotama Buddha may be using a specific gender of he/she, male/female, or a
specific title of husband/wife, son/daughter you can apply these same
Teachings to all genders and roles of the opposite of which he was
addressing his Teachings to in the setting in which The Teachings were
originally shared, or use a gender-neutral pronoun.
If Gotama Buddha is sharing Teachings with a man of how to be a
wholesome husband, you can relate this same Teaching for a female of how
to be a wholesome wife. If he is sharing a Teaching with a male of how to be
a wholesome son, you can relate this same Teaching for a female of how to
be a wholesome daughter. You have the freedom to apply these Teachings
using all genders and titles in use today.
Additionally, Gotama Buddha never used rebirth in the heavenly realm nor
rebirth in the lower realms of hell, animal, or afflicted spirits as a way to guilt,
shame, fear, or otherwise motivate people to learn and practice his
Teachings.
When you come to understand Teachings shared by Gotama Buddha related
to these potential future destinations upon rebirth, he is sharing the truth of
what will or will not occur based on specific Teachings based on The Natural
Laws of Existence. The truth he discovered, observed, and experienced as
The Perfectly Enlightened One.
One should in no way consider these Teachings he shared as a way to guilt,
shame, or fear one into learning and practicing his Teachings but instead,
consider that he is sharing the truth of what will or will not occur ensuring
that Practitioners understand the truth related to The Natural Laws of
Existence. Gotama Buddha’s Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment
involve, among other things, the elimination of guilt, shame, and fear. He
would not use guilt, shame, or fear to motivate someone to learn and
practice his Teachings because his most core and central Teaching of The
Four Noble Truths, and everything else he taught, makes it clear that the
objective is to eliminate discontent feelings such as guilt, shame, and fear.
9

Gotama Buddha shared The Teachings as guidance for anyone who chooses
to learn and practice without forceful influence. Through learning, reflecting,
and practicing his Teachings, one comes to understand the truth as the
condition of the mind and the condition of one’s life gradually improve.
It is not possible to forcefully influence one to attain Enlightenment and that
approach was never employed by The Perfectly Enlightened One, and
should never be employed by anyone else. Learning and practicing these
Teachings is through personal free will choice.
A Buddha only points the way, everyone else must strive.
While this book series contains “The Words of The Buddha” as the
foundation and focus of study, the author has provided you content in which
to understand and reflect on his thoughts related to The Teachings shared by
The Buddha.
A reader and, thus, Practitioner should not rely solely on the author’s content
in their reflection on The Teachings from Gotama Buddha. The author’s
content is to provide you guidance towards understanding but it is you, the
Practitioner, who needs to deeply investigate “The Words of The Buddha” to
determine the truth for yourself. You should not be limited to only what the
author has provided by way of meaning and understanding of “The Words of
The Buddha”. Instead, learn, reflect, practice, and seek guidance from a
Teacher to support you in gaining wisdom. The mind is liberated through
wisdom.
To gain the most benefit from “The Words of The Buddha” book series,
it is suggested that you start with (Volume 1), “Developing a Life
Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment”. That book will provide
a framework to understand all of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings in the
entire book series. Without reading that book first, a Practitioner will
find it very challenging to start with learning from “The Words of The
Buddha”.
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10

The Problem - The Wisdom of Enlightenment Has Been Lost
Gotama Buddha lived over 2,500 years ago sharing The Teachings that lead
to Enlightenment.
During his lifetime, it was well known to people who were learning, reflecting,
and practicing with him as their Teacher, exactly what Enlightenment is and
how to attain it.
This wisdom remained for 500 years after the death of The Buddha. But
thereafter, this wisdom has gradually declined and diminished to the point
where we are today, 2,500 years later. Gotama Buddha predicted this would
occur.
The vast majority of the world does not understand what Enlightenment is
and how to attain it. The Path to Enlightenment, while once was strong and
vibrant during the lifetime of The Buddha, has now practically disappeared.
There are very few beings in existence today who understand what
Enlightenment is and how to attain it.
The Universal Truth of Impermanence has drastically affected humanity’s
understanding of The Path to Enlightenment.
This occurred through the lack of focus and diligence to maintain The
Teachings of The Buddha as vibrantly as existed during his lifetime. People
gradually and slowly mixed and blended various traditions and thoughts into
The Buddha’s Teachings which, while perhaps well intended, have only
served to dilute humanity’s understanding of The Path to Enlightenment and,
thus, have made it extremely difficult for countless beings to experience
Enlightenment.
Enlightenment is a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy that is
permanent. The Enlightened mind no longer experiences any discontent
feelings. All discontentedness such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation,
annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy,
resentment, stress, anxiety, etc., has been completely eliminated from the
Enlightened mind.
Gotama Buddha’s objective is for his Teachings to be shared worldwide so
that all beings can experience the Enlightened mental state. However, during
his lifetime, it was impossible to share his Teachings worldwide. It has now
come to us to be able to actively learn, reflect, and practice his Teachings, in
such a way, that they are restored and shining in the world so that countless
11

individuals can attain Enlightenment today and in multiple generations to
come.
But, in order to accomplish this goal, we will need to stay determined,
dedicated, and diligent to learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings
of The Buddha that he shared over 2,500 years ago. We will need to be
diligent to ensure that we are not diluting his Teachings through mixing
various traditions and practices that are not part of The Path to
Enlightenment.
Every Practitioner will need to decide, are they interested in being part of the
problem or part of the solution.
The solution takes time, effort, energy, and resources to be committed
enough to restoring The Buddha’s Teachings back into humanity, in such a
way, that is highly beneficial to countless individuals today and long into the
future.
Remaining part of the problem requires no time, effort, energy, or resources.
It just requires continued complacency and lack of attention to the active
learning, reflecting, and practicing of “The Words of The Buddha”. I suggest
it would be unwise to remain part of the problem as one will continue to
experience discontentedness and the suffering it causes.
The Solution - Restoring The Buddha’s Teachings Back into Humanity
If you would like to be part of the solution, I would like to encourage you to
actively learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings of The Buddha, in such a
way, that does not include the diluting or mixing of his Teachings with other
traditions. It is The Teachings of The Buddha that lead to Enlightenment, not
those that are blended and mixed that only serve to dilute The Path to
Enlightenment for all those who aspire to experience Enlightenment.
The primary obstacle or obstruction that hinders Practitioners from the
attainment of Enlightenment is ignorance (unknowing of true reality). This is a
taint/pollution of mind where the Practitioner lacks wisdom to understand the
true Path to Enlightenment. This unknowing of true reality creates an
obstacle or obstruction that keeps the mind trapped in the unEnlightened
state continuing to experience continued discontentedness and the suffering
it causes. The only way to remove this hindrance is to seek guidance with a
Teacher in the true Teachings of The Buddha using The Words of The
Buddha. It is The Teachings of The Buddha that will awaken the mind to
Enlightenment through independent verification of his Teachings to acquire
wisdom, thus, removing this obstruction to Enlightenment.
12

Through dedication to restoring The Teachings of The Buddha within your
own life practice by acquiring wisdom using The Words of The Buddha, you
are doing your part to contribute to restoring his Teachings back into
humanity for the benefit of countless beings that exist now and long into the
future. All of humanity can evolve so that everyone can attain Enlightenment
creating the most peaceful world we have ever imagined. It will be like
“heaven on earth”.
You are invited to join this Community to only learn and practice “The Words
of The Buddha”, in such a way, that leads to your Enlightenment and the
restoration of The Buddha’s Teachings so that you and countless beings can
experience the peacefulness, liberation of mind, and complete elimination of
discontentedness and the suffering it causes, known as Enlightenment.
The Words of The Buddha Book Series
https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks
“Thank you” for choosing to learn and
practice Gotama Buddha’s Teachings.
You are making the world a better place
through developing your life practice based
on “The Words of The Buddha”.
13

Continue to read and understand “The Words of The Buddha - The Path to
Enlightenment - Revealing The Hidden” book series that has been laid out
for all of us to achieve a better way of life.
You can connect to a group of people in a supportive environment for
discussion, sharing, and learning through the Facebook group.
Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DailyWisdom999/
All members are accepted without judgment. It is a healthy place to talk,
discuss, learn, and grow. There are resources to help you further on this
Path to Enlightenment accessible online through a Group Learning
Program.
Group Learning Program: LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Books,
Audiobooks, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance are available for you.
14

Preface
The Six Sense Bases
This book is dedicated to “you” and the complete elimination, destruction,
and cessation of suffering or “discontentedness” of the mind. Thus, this
book is dedicated to the elimination of discontentedness and the suffering
that it causes in the entire world.
The Teachings in this book series, with some effort on your part, will lead you
to everlasting peace - a peaceful mind and a peaceful life. It’s your personal
choices, with these Teachings serving as a guide, that will bring you these
results.
We are all walking towards the darkness or towards the light. Which
direction you walk is completely your choice.
This book and Teachings are meant to guide you in learning, reflecting, and
practicing The Teachings of The Perfectly Enlightened Buddha who lived
over 2,500 years ago.
The Teachings of The Buddha are timeless, meaning they are just as
applicable today as they were 2,500 years ago.
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings are not a religion but instead, a “better way of
life”. Through learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings to
independently verify the truth, the mind will acquire wisdom awakening to
Enlightenment.
It is suggested that you first read “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That
Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) of this same book series while seeking
guidance from a Teacher. It is that book that provides a Practitioner with a
solid foundation in developing a life practice that will lead to the Enlightened
mind.
In order to progress on The Path to Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need a
Teacher to receive guidance. One would not be able to only read a book and
attain the results of an Enlightened mind.
Nothing in Gotama Buddha’s Teachings is based on belief. A Buddha has
already done the hard work of figuring out how to attain Enlightenment. You
just need to learn and practice his Teachings to improve the condition of the
mind and your life.
15

All his Teachings can be learned and practiced to independently observe the
truth as the mind “gradually” acquires wisdom through independent
verification of his Teachings and through practice of his Teachings.
This new found wisdom “gradually” improves the way the mind functions in
the world through eliminating discontentedness of mind. The mind can
completely eliminate all discontent feelings such as sadness, anger,
frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness,
shyness, jealousy, resentment, stress, anxiety, etc. on The Path to
Enlightenment.
Through learning and practicing Gotama Buddha’s Teachings with guidance,
the mind becomes Enlightened in that you can observe the improvement in
the condition of the mind as you eliminate all discontent feelings where the
mind can reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently.
You are not believing The Teachings wishing for a positive outcome at some
point in the future or after death. Instead, you are observing the
improvements to the condition of the mind right now - in the present
moment.
Only a Buddha would be able to attain Enlightenment on their own without
Teachers. These are some of the criteria that make a Buddha a Buddha is
that they discover The Teachings on their own attaining Enlightenment
without help from a Teacher, shares their independently discovered
Teachings to guide countless others to Enlightenment during the remaining
time of their life, and they leave their Teachings in a condition that they guide
countless others to Enlightenment after their death.
The last Buddha currently known to the world existed over 2,500 years ago.
That means you and everyone else will need Teachers on this Path to
Enlightenment.
Your journey to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings is significantly
improved through making the choice to learn directly with “The Words of The
Buddha”.
Today, there are many resources for Teachings described as Buddhist or
originating with The Buddha. But, it is only when a Practitioner chooses to
investigate “The Words of The Buddha” being sourced directly from the
original source, The Pāli Canon, that a Practitioner will come to understand
the truth of what The Buddha actually taught and be able to implement these
Teachings into your daily life to experience the results of Enlightenment.
16

Through learning and practicing Gotama Buddha’s Teachings, in his own
words, The Perfectly Enlightened One’s wisdom can penetrate the mind and
you can experience the breakthrough to realizing the Enlightened mind.
I have significant gratitude, appreciation, admiration, and respect for Master
Teacher Gotama Buddha as his Teachings lead exactly where he said they
would. To a steady, calm, stable, and unshakable mind, known as
Enlightenment.
There are countless unknown and unnamed individuals who are responsible
for these Teachings reaching you in this book series. These Teachings have
been preserved throughout history over the last 2,500 years through the
tireless efforts of Ordained and Household Practitioners. These Teachings
have been preserved and shared from one generation to the next because
they work.
It is now up to us to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to
experience the Enlightened mind, so that we may benefit from an improved
existence while also preserving these Teachings for future generations in our
hearts and minds.
While books are an outstanding tool to capture The Teachings and share
them worldwide, there is nothing more significant than having massive
numbers of Enlightened beings in the world who can directly share these
Teachings with those who choose to seek guidance in developing their life
practice on The Path to Enlightenment. Each of us individually and
collectively, are just one link in a long chain of Practitioners and Teachers
spanning over 2,500 years.
What we choose to do in this time and place will determine how vibrant and
sustaining these Teachings are for future generations. It is our work and
effort to seek our own Enlightenment that we will experience results for our
own mind and lay the groundwork for countless more beings after us to
experience the same freedom of mind that you are now choosing to pursue.
Many people are interested in improving the world, but do not know how. It
is only when we are dedicated to improving our own wisdom, moral conduct,
and mental discipline that we will improve the world. Through improving our
own life practice through learning “The Words of The Buddha” then, we will
have collectively improved the world.
The problem that the unEnlightened mind is experiencing is not the outside
world, but the inner world. Training the mind, the inner world, is what
produces a peaceful existence. You can’t control other people and what they
17

do. You can only decide to train your own mind to be unaffected by what
others do.
It is a real struggle to exist in a world that the mind does not understand. It is
“The Words of The Buddha” that explains The Natural Laws of Existence
guiding the mind to acquire deep wisdom to make better free will decisions
through a purified mind.
Master Teacher Gotama Buddha
(The Tathāgata)
18

Meaning And Description
of Sense Control
19


Chapter 1
The Six Sense Bases
Monks, there are these six sense bases.
What six?
The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind.
When, Monks, a Noble Disciple understands as they really are the
gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these six sense
bases;
Then he is called a Noble Disciple who is a Stream-Enterer, no longer bound
to the nether world, fixed in destination, with Nibbāna (Enlightenment) as his
destination.
(Reference: SN 23.7)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares The Six Sense Bases.
The Six Sense Bases are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are more
specifically referred to as The Six Internal Sense Bases. These are the internal organs
that, through contact, bring experiences to the awareness of the mind.
The Six Internal Sense Bases experience forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects,
and mental objects. These are more specifically referred to as The Six External Sense
Bases.
The eyes see a form. The ears hear a sound. The nose smells an odor. The tongue tastes
a flavor. The body touches a physical object. The mind recognizes a mental object.
All discontentedness is experienced through The Six Internal Sense Bases coming
into contact with The Six External Sense Bases. The unEnlightened mind considers
the object either agreeable or disagreeable then experiencing either pleasant
feelings, painful feelings, or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Discontentedness is experienced through The Six Sense Bases. The eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and the mind. These are the six internal sense bases or the six internal
sense faculties. You will see different people using different language to describe Gotama
Buddha’s Teachings because even how people describe these Teachings is impermanent.
It is not steady, fixed, or constant as different people choose to use different language.
The six internal sense bases experience the six external sense bases of forms, sounds,
odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
20


The mind longing for pleasant feelings through the six internal sense bases for the six
external sense bases is one of the significant problems of the unEnlightened mind
described in The Ten Fetters as “sensual desire”. The mind is chasing after pleasant
feelings through The Six Sense Bases looking to fulfill the objects of its desires through
impermanent conditions.
The mind experiences discontentedness through longing for sensual pleasure through
these six (6) sense bases.
The Six Sense Bases
Internal Sense Base External Sense Base
Eyes Forms
Ears Sounds
Nose Odors
Tongue Flavors
Body Physical Objects
Mind Mental Objects
When seeing an agreeable form through the eyes, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When seeing a disagreeable form through the eyes, one experiences a painful feeling. The
mind is discontent.
When hearing an agreeable sound through the ears, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When hearing a disagreeable sound through the ears, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When smelling an agreeable odor through the nose, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When smelling a disagreeable odor through the nose, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When tasting an agreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When tasting a disagreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When touching an agreeable physical object through the body, one experiences pleasant
feelings. When touching a disagreeable physical object through the body, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
When recognizing an agreeable mental object through the mind, one experiences
pleasant feelings. When recognizing a disagreeable mental object through the mind, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
Mental objects are mental states. A mental state is a mental quality in which the qualities
of the mind are constant even though the state itself may be dynamic (i.e. changing).
21


Through all six (6) sense bases or The Six Doorways to Discontentedness, the mind
experiences pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant. When pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-
nor-pleasant are experienced, the mind is discontent.
As the mind chases pleasant feelings, due to the impermanent nature of these feelings,
the mind is then inviting in painful feelings and/or feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant as the mind still has a longing with a strong eagerness for impermanent
conditions to create pleasant feelings. If the mind is basing its inner pleasant feelings on
impermanent conditions, it is also going to experience painful feelings and feelings that
are neither painful-nor-pleasant based on impermanent conditions. Instead, the mind can
be trained to be inwardly peaceful and calm no longer yearning for pleasant feelings
through conditions which are all impermanent.
To attain Enlightenment, you will need to learn how to “guard” the doorways to
discontentedness and “protect your own contentedness” through developing a life
practice of non-craving, non-desire, non-attachment, or non-clinging. We are each
responsible to “protect or maintain our own contentedness of mind”, no one else
can do that for us.
22


Chapter 2
The Simile of The Great Log
Do you see, Monks, that great log being carried along by the current of the
river Ganges?
‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’
If, Monks, that log does not veer towards the near shore, does not veer
towards the far shore, does not sink in mid-stream, does not get cast up on
high ground, does not get caught by human beings, does not get caught by
non-human beings, does not get caught in a whirlpool, and does not
become inwardly rotten, it will slant, slope, and incline towards the ocean.
For what reason?
Because the current of the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards
the ocean.
So too, Monks, if you do not veer towards the near shore, do not veer
towards the far shore, do not sink in mid-stream, do not get cast up on high
ground, do not get caught by human beings, do not get caught by non-
human beings, do not get caught in a whirlpool and do not become inwardly
rotten, you will slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment).
For what reason?
Because Right View slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
When this was said, a certain Monk asked The Perfectly Enlightened One:
‘What, Venerable Sir, is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking
in mid-stream? What is getting cast up on high ground? What is getting
caught by human beings, what is getting caught by non-human beings, what
is getting caught in a whirlpool? What is inward rottenness?’
‘The near shore’, Monk: this is a designation for the six internal sense bases.
‘The far shore’: this is a designation for the six external sense bases. ‘Sinking
in mid-stream’: this is a designation for excitement and desire. ‘Getting cast
up on high ground’: this is a designation for the conceit ‘I am’.
23


And what, Monk, is getting caught by human beings?
Here, someone lives in association with Household Practitioners; he rejoices
with them and sorrows with them, he is happy when they are happy and sad
when they are sad, and he involves himself in their affairs and duties. This is
called getting caught by human beings.
And what, Monk, is getting caught by non-human beings?
Here, someone lives the holy life with the desire [to be reborn] into a certain
order of heavenly beings, thinking: By this virtue or vow or austerity or holy
life I will become a heavenly being or one among the heavenly beings. This is
called getting caught by non-human beings.
‘Getting caught in a whirlpool’: this, Monk, is a designation for the five cords
of sensual pleasure.
And what, Monk, is inward rottenness?
Here someone is immoral, one of unwholesome character, of impure and
suspect behavior, secretive in his acts, no Ascetic though claiming to be one,
not a celibate though claiming to be one, inwardly rotten, corrupt, wicked.
This is called inward rottenness.
(Reference: SN 35.241)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares Teachings on various aspects of life that
can hinder someone from the attainment of Enlightenment using the “Simile of The Great
Log”.
The Buddha uses “the stream” to describe The Path to Enlightenment. “The stream”
leads to “the ocean” (i.e. to Enlightenment). This is why the first Stage of Enlightenment is
referred to as a “Stream-Enterer”. One who has put together The Teachings into a life
practice so well that at the first Stage of Enlightenment (i.e. Stream-Enterer), one has
entered the stream and there is no going backwards. At the first Stage of Enlightenment,
the mind will not regress and the being will attain Enlightenment at some point in the next
seven (7) lives - at a maximum.
The log represents the individual and Gotama Buddha is explaining the various aspects of
life that can get one caught up and inhibit the log from making it to the ocean. These are
Teachings describing the things for you to “look out” for so that you do not get inhibited
from making it to Enlightenment.
If one avoids getting “caught up” with these, the mind will slant, slope, and incline
towards Enlightenment because “Right View” will slant, slope, and incline towards
Enlightenment. Right View is to learn, reflect, and practice The Four Noble Truths.
24


1.) Near shore: this is a designation for the six internal sense bases related to the fetter/
taint of “sensual desire”. This is how the mind has craving/desire/attachment through The
Six Sense Bases of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
2.) Far shore: this is a designation for the six external sense bases related to the fetter/
taint of “sensual desire”. This is how the mind has craving/desire/attachment through The
Six Sense Bases for the objects of its affection as forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical
objects, and mental objects.
The six internal sense bases are experiencing the six external sense bases.
It is only when one guards the doorways to The Six Sense Bases, or the six doorways to
discontentedness, that one is able to eliminate craving/desire/attachment through the six
internal sense bases for the six external sense bases eliminating the fetter/taint of
“sensual desire” that the mind can progress towards Enlightenment.
The mind needs to establish a well refined practice of The Eight Fold Path as a starting
point for eventually getting to the point where it can eliminate the fetters/taints/pollution of
the mind. One would not be able to just immediately eliminate the fetters but instead,
would need to first lay the foundation of their life practice with a well developed practice
of The Eight Fold Path to prepare the mind to be willing and able to eliminate The Ten
Fetters.
3.) Sink in mid-stream: this is a designation for one who allows excitement and desire to
persist. To attain Enlightenment the mind needs to eliminate pleasant feelings, painful
feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant.
If the Practitioner allows the mind to experience pleasant feelings, then they are inviting
into the mind painful feelings and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant. The mind
needs to eliminate happiness, excitement, and elation based on impermanent conditions
gaining inner tranquility of mind - peacefulness, calmness, serenity, and contentedness
with joy that is permanent because it is not based on impermanent conditions.
Through “cutting off or letting go” of happiness, excitement, and elation, the mind can
then eliminate craving/desire/attachment. Sinking mid-stream is to allow the happiness,
excitement, elation (pleasant feelings) to persist, thus, craving/desire/attachment is not
eliminated. Craving/desire/attachment is the cause of the discontent mind. If the mind has
craving/desire/attachment it will experience discontentedness, thus, will not experience
Enlightenment.
4.) Cast up on high ground: this is a designation for the conceit ‘I am’. A person that is
“cast up on high ground” is one who allows arrogance, pride, judging, measuring or
comparing as superior or inferior to others (i.e. the ego) to persist.
If the mind has the fetter/taint/pollution of “conceit” it is “cast up on high ground”,
therefore, the mind will not experience Enlightenment. A Practitioner needs to eliminate
the ego comprised of the fetters/taints of “Personal Existence View” and “Conceit”.
5.) Gets caught by human beings: is someone who lives in association with Household
Practitioners; he rejoices with them and sorrows with them, he is happy when they are
happy and sad when they are sad, and he involves himself in their affairs and duties.
25


Remember that Ordained Practitioners are going to live separate from Household
Practitioners as a way of creating conditions that are more conducive to Enlightenment
but do not guarantee Enlightenment. So, an Ordained Practitioner, in this Teaching, is
being advised not to “get caught by human beings”.
For Household Practitioners, you can apply this Teaching to your life in that as your
friends, family, and other associates are experiencing the ebbs and flows in the daily
struggles of life, that you should ensure the mind does not get “caught up” by their
challenges of life.
It is typically viewed as empathy if one sorrows with their associates as they are
struggling in life. It is typically viewed as friendly if one rejoices and becomes elated when
others around them become elated. Here, The Buddha is sharing that this would get the
mind “caught by human beings” if the mind lacked the wisdom, moral conduct, and
mental discipline to not allow this to happen.
It is possible to be understanding and helpful in our personal and professional
relationships with others without feeling their same sorrow or elation when those close to
us experience daily struggles. You can actually be even more helpful in your relationship if
when those around you are sorrowful or elated to remain calm and provide guidance,
when asked, of how to improve their situation and move the mind out of
discontentedness and towards peacefulness.
If you allow the mind to feel the same sorrow and elation of others and view this as part of
your relationship with them, then the mind will “get caught by human beings” because
you are allowing your attachment to human beings to cause discontentedness in the
mind. Through the elimination of your attachments to human beings through practicing
“True Love”, as described in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to
Enlightenment” (Volume 1), a Practitioner can remain unaffected by the daily struggles of
others while with loving-kindness and compassion potentially help others as they seek
your assistance.
6.) Get caught by non-human beings: is someone living the holy life with the desire [to
be reborn] into a certain order of heavenly beings, thinking: By this virtue or vow or
austerity or holy life, I will become a heavenly being or one among the heavenly beings.
There are some who aspire to be reborn in the heavenly realm. This is not the goal of
these Teachings and would not produce an Enlightened mind.
If the mind has craving/desire/attachment to exist in heaven as a heavenly being, then the
mind is still holding on and has not yet fully extinguished 100% of all craving/desire/
attachment and, thus, will experience discontentedness because it is not yet Enlightened.
One will need to extinguish any desire to be reborn in the heavenly realm to experience
complete liberation of the mind.
26


7.) Get caught in a whirlpool: is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure.
The Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure is the craving/desire/attachment the mind has for the
sensual pleasures associated with wanting agreeable and pleasant forms, sounds, odors,
flavors, and physical objects through five of the sense bases to produce pleasant
feelings.
Where the six internal and external sense bases are the actual sense bases, The Five
Cords of Sensual Pleasure are how the mind has longing and strong eagerness (craving/
desire/attachment) for the objects of its affection through five of The Six Sense Bases and
becomes practically obsessed with acquiring the objects of its affection as “sensual
pleasures”.
“The cord” is the actual craving/desire/attachment for the sensual pleasure.
8.) Inwardly rotten: someone is immoral, one of unwholesome character, of impure and
suspect behavior, secretive in his acts, no Ascetic though claiming to be one, not a
celibate though claiming to be one, inwardly rotten, corrupt, wicked.
While Gotama Buddha is describing characteristics associated with the Ascetic life, one
can apply this Teaching to all lifestyles whether an Ordained or a Household Practitioners.
If one is immoral, unwholesome, impure, secretive, rotten, corrupt, and wicked then this
will inhibit one from experiencing Enlightenment. The Path to Enlightenment is about
eliminating unwholesome qualities of mind and cultivating wholesome qualities of mind.
Through making wholesome decisions, one will experience only wholesome results due to
The Natural Law of Kamma. It is The Teachings of The Buddha that will help you
understand what is unwholesome and what is wholesome. Through learning, reflecting,
and practicing these Teachings, the mind is gradually trained to acquire wisdom and
gradually practices wholesome moral conduct through a mind that has been trained to
have mental discipline.
27


Chapter 3
Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure
Monks, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure.
What are the five?
(1) Forms recognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(2) Sounds recognizable by the ear that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(3) Odors recognizable by the nose that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(4) Flavors recognizable by the tongue that are wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative
of craving.
(5) Physical objects recognizable by the body that are wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative
of craving.
These are the five cords of sensual pleasure.
As to those Ascetics and Brāhmins who are tied to these five cords of
sensual pleasure, obsessed with them and completely committed to them,
and who use them without seeing the danger in them or understanding the
escape from them, it may be understood of them: They have met with
calamity, met with disaster, the Evil One may do with them as he likes.
Suppose a forest deer who was bound lay down on a heap of traps; it might
be understood of him: He has met with calamity, met with disaster, the
hunter can do with him as he likes, and when the hunter comes he cannot go
where he wants.
As to those Ascetics and Brāhmins who are not tied to these five cords of
sensual pleasure, who are not obsessed with them or completely committed
to them, and who use them seeing the danger in them and understanding
the escape from them, it may be understood of them: They have not met
with calamity, not met with disaster, the Evil One cannot do with them as he
likes.
28


Suppose a forest deer who was unbound lay down on a heap of traps; it
might be understood of him: He has not met with calamity, not met with
disaster, the hunter cannot do with him as he likes, and when the hunter
comes he can go where he wants.
Suppose a forest deer is wandering in the forest wilds: he walks without fear,
stands without fear, sits without fear, lies down without fear. Why is that?
Because he is out of the hunter’s range.
So too, quite distant from sense-desires, distant from unwholesome mental
states, he enters and resides in the first Jhāna, which is with thinking and
pondering, based in seclusion, filled with excitement and joy. This Monk is
said to have blindfolded Māra, to have become invisible to the Evil One by
depriving Māra’s eye of its opportunity.
(This follows with the second Jhāna, the third Jhāna, the fourth Jhāna, the
space is infinite, the consciousness is infinite, the base of nothingness, the
base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the discourses are identical
except for the reference to each.)
Again, by completely surmounting the base of neither perception-nor-non
perception, a Monk enters upon and resides in the elimination of perception
and feeling. And his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom.
This Monk is said to have blindfolded Māra, to have become invisible to the
Evil One by depriving Māra’s eye of its opportunity, and to have crossed
beyond attachment to the world. He walks without fear, stands without fear,
sits without fear, lies down without fear.
Why is that? Because he is out of the Evil One’s range.
(Reference: MN 26)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares The Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure that
the mind experiences related to five (5) of The Six Sense Bases.
Discontentedness is experienced through The Six Sense Bases. The eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and the mind. These are the six internal sense bases or the six internal
sense faculties. You will see different people using different language to describe Gotama
Buddha’s Teachings because even how people describe these Teachings is impermanent.
It is not steady, fixed, or constant as different people choose to use different language.
The six internal sense bases experience the six external sense bases of forms, sounds,
odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
29


The mind longing for pleasant feelings through the six internal sense bases for the six
external sense bases is one of the significant problems of the unEnlightened mind
described in The Ten Fetters as “sensual desire”. The mind is chasing after pleasant
feelings through The Six Sense Bases looking to fulfill the objects of its desires through
impermanent conditions.
The mind experiences discontentedness through longing for sensual pleasure through
these six (6) sense bases.
The Six Sense Bases
Internal Sense Base External Sense Base
Eyes Forms
Ears Sounds
Nose Odors
Tongue Flavors
Body Physical Objects
Mind Mental Objects
When seeing an agreeable form through the eyes, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When seeing a disagreeable form through the eyes, one experiences a painful feeling. The
mind is discontent.
When hearing an agreeable sound through the ears, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When hearing a disagreeable sound through the ears, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When smelling an agreeable odor through the nose, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When smelling a disagreeable odor through the nose, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When tasting an agreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When tasting a disagreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When touching an agreeable physical object through the body, one experiences pleasant
feelings. When touching a disagreeable physical object through the body, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
When recognizing an agreeable mental object through the mind, one experiences
pleasant feelings. When recognizing a disagreeable mental object through the mind, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
Mental objects are objects such as thoughts, ideas, emotions, mental states, etc.
Through all six (6) sense bases or The Six Doorways to Discontentedness, the mind
experiences pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-
30


pleasant. When pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-
nor-pleasant are experienced, the mind is discontent.
As the mind chases pleasant feelings, due to the impermanent nature of these feelings,
the mind is then inviting in painful feelings and/or feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant as the mind still has a longing with a strong eagerness for impermanent
conditions to create pleasant feelings. If the mind is basing its inner pleasant feelings on
impermanent conditions, it is also going to experience painful feelings and feelings that
are neither painful-nor-pleasant based on impermanent conditions. Instead, the mind can
be trained to be inwardly peaceful and calm no longer yearning for pleasant feelings
through conditions which are all impermanent.
To attain Enlightenment, you will need to learn how to “guard” the doorways to
discontentedness and “protect your own contentedness” through developing a life
practice of non-craving, non-desire, non-attachment, or non-clinging. We are each
responsible to “protect or maintain our own contentedness of mind” no one else
can do that for us.
The mind will have craving/desire/attachment (mental longing with a strong eagerness) for
pleasant feelings (happiness, excitement, elation, thrill, exhilaration, euphoria, etc.)
associated with contact with forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects through
the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body.
The craving/desire/attachment is the “cord” of sensual pleasure, not the actual object
itself. The unEnlightened mind will chase after the objects of its affections seeking
pleasant feelings. Gotama Buddha explains this as objects “wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving”.
It is the longing with a strong eagerness, craving/desire/attachment, that exists in the
unEnlightened mind that causes it to be discontent. The discontentedness is experienced
through pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant. This is explained in The Teachings of The Three Universal Truths and The Four
Noble Truths.
Detailed explanation of The Three Universal Truths and The Four Noble Truths is available
in this same book series found in Chapter 4 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The
Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
As a Practitioner develops their intellectual understanding of how the unEnlightened mind
functions and the remedies, they are then able to better apply the solutions shared by
Gotama Buddha. Doing so, a Practitioner will understand “the escape” from The Five
Cords of Sensual Pleasure. Eventually, as a Practitioner has a well developed practice of
The Eight Fold Path, the mind will move into the Jhānas. These are preliminary phases the
mind moves through prior to the first Stage of Enlightenment.
When a Practitioner’s mind enters into the Jhānas, it is then protected from “Māra the Evil
One”.
31


Māra the Evil One is an unwholesome being who roams the world influencing unskillful,
unbeneficial, and negative conduct. Māra, and beings acting on its behalf, look for ways
to entice and lure an individual into conduct that would result in unwholesome results.
Other traditions may refer to this entity as Satan, The Devil, or other names associated
with a devilish being who is associated with the Realm of Hell looking to cause calamity
for all beings here on earth attempting to influence human beings to create “hell on
earth”.
Through training the mind in these Teachings, a Practitioner eventually gets to the Jhānas
where the mind is protected and no longer influenced by Māra the Evil One. A mind that
has entered the Jhānas “is said to have blindfolded Māra”. Māra is no longer able to
influence a Practitioner as their mind has become more stable and steady through well
developed wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline, yet, the mind is still not
Enlightened. There is more work to do in order to fully protect the mind from
discontentedness.
However, the mind can “walk without fear, stand without fear, sit without fear, lie down
without fear. Why is that? Because he is out of the hunter's range”.
“Distant from sense-desires, distant from unwholesome mental states” through putting
together a well developed life practice of The Eight Fold Path the mind “enters and
resides in the first Jhāna” “out of the hunter’s range” and no longer susceptible to “Māra
the Evil One”.
With a Practitioner having distanced the mind from sensual desires and unwholesome
mental states they are no longer “laying down on a heap of traps”. The sensual desires
are the “traps”. The mind will continue to long with a strong eagerness through The Six
Sense Bases wanting pleasant feelings. But, those feelings are all temporary (i.e.
impermanent) because they are based on impermanent conditions. It is not until the mind
is willing to let go of temporary happiness that it will experience permanent joy.
Training the mind to distant itself then eliminate sensual desires through eliminating the
craving/desire/attachment (i.e. The Five Cords of Sensual Pleasures) the Practitioner’s
mind is no longer “laying on traps” and has escaped from a significant amount of
discontentedness.
As a Practitioner chooses to develop their life practice more deeply practicing The Eight
Fold Path, the mind will move through the Jhānas, and then eliminate clinging to
perceptions. The mind will be able to see clearly having eliminated the taints (i.e. The Ten
Fetters) and “seeing with wisdom” the mind will move closer to Enlightenment.
Detailed explanation of the space is infinite, the consciousness is infinite, the base of
nothingness, and the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is available in this
same book series found in Chapter 13 of the book “Breathing Mindfulness Meditation”
(Volume 7).
32


Chapter 4
One Who Guards The Doors of
The Six Sense Bases
And how is a Monk guarded as to the doors of the six sense bases?
Here, a Monk, seeing a form with the eye… he hears a sound with the ear…
with the nose smells an odor… with the tongue tastes a flavor… with the
body touches a physical object… with the mind he recognizes a mental
object, does not grasp at the general features or at the details of them.
Since craving and aversion, evil, unwholesome states might flow in upon one
who dwells with the sense base of the eye uncontrolled… the sense base of
the ear uncontrolled… the sense base of the nose uncontrolled… the sense
base of the tongue uncontrolled... the sense base of the body uncontrolled...
the sense base of the mind uncontrolled, he applies himself to such control,
he sets a guard over the sense base of the eye… the sense base of the ear…
the sense base of the nose… the sense base of the tongue… the sense base
of the body... the sense base of the mind, attains control of them.
That is how a Monk has the doors of the six sense bases guarded.
(Reference: SN 35.239)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that one should guard the doors of The
Six Sense Bases. This is also referred to as “guarding the doorways to
discontentedness”. The practice of Right Mindfulness, to include, The Four Foundations
of Mindfulness is how a Practitioner would “guard the doorways to discontentedness”.
All discontentedness experienced in the mind will be experienced through one of these
doorways - the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind. Through being observant of the
mind by practicing Right Mindfulness, a Practitioner is able to guard the mind cutting off
and letting go of any arising discontentedness as a bodily sensation ensuring that it does
not reach the mind to become discontent feelings.
A Practitioner who trains the mind to be able to control The Six Sense Bases is able to
guard those doorways ensuring the mind does not experience discontentedness related
to experiences of agreeable or disagreeable forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical
objects, or mental objects entering one of these doorways and affecting the mind.
In practice, this can be employed in multiple ways.
33


For example, if a Practitioner finds themselves in a conversation where the discussion has
become heated, they might decide to walk away removing the mind, and thus the
doorways (i.e. The Six Sense Bases) from the conversation. Then, the ear will not hear the
argumentative speech to affect the mind. Instead, the Practitioner is guarding the
doorway by practicing Right Mindfulness to be aware of the arising of discontentedness
and then applies Right Effort to, cut it off and let it go, which might include, leaving the
conversation to protect the mind.
A second example might include, that if you know you are about to speak with someone
who tends to be argumentative, that you prepare the mind ahead of time that the person
who you are about to have a conversation with, may become argumentative at any time
during the conversation. And, if that happens, you plan to remain quiet, ignore the
argumentative speech, change the subject, or otherwise defuse the situation, perhaps
even leaving the conversation entirely.
A third example might include, that if you know you have a craving/desire/attachment to
having the place where you reside to look a certain way and the mind craves for things to
be in a certain place, prior to entering a residence that you share with others, you prepare
the mind that the residence is not going to look the way you want it to look and that the
mind needs to be peaceful and calm remaining unaffected when you observe things are
not the way the mind wants or expects them to be. The problem is not that things aren’t
in the right place, instead, the problem is that the mind is uncomfortable with
impermanence and that items in the home cannot be permanently in the same spot. A
Practitioner needs to train the mind to have restraint and control that it is disciplined to
recognize the true problem it’s facing is that the mind wants and expects things to be a
certain way permanently and that is not possible. Guarding the doorways would be to
practice Right Mindfulness (i.e. awareness of mind) then, exercise restraint and control
over the mind so that it does not become discontent due to its own cravings/desires/
attachments related to anything that may enter The Six Sense Bases.
If the mind becomes aware of an agreeable or disagreeable form, sound, odor, flavor,
physical object, or mental object through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind, it
will need to exercise restraint, control, and discipline so that its craving/desire/attachment
does not produce discontentedness in the mind. Any arising pleasant feelings, painful
feelings, or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant is discontentedness and will
need to be cut off and let go.
But, if the Practitioner can reside guarding the doorways not allowing the mind to be
triggered, then discontentedness does not arise as bodily sensations, feelings, affect the
condition of the mind, or form mental objects.
Guarding the doorways to discontentedness would include being watchful over the mind,
practicing Right Mindfulness to include The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, not
allowing it to be triggered through The Six Sense Bases.
34


Chapter 5
One To Reach Growth, Increase, and Maturity
in This Training Discipline
Monks, when a cattle worker possesses eleven factors, he is capable of
keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.
What eleven?
Here a cattle worker has wisdom of form, he is skilled in characteristics, he
removes flies’ eggs, he dresses wounds, he smokes out the sheds, he
knows the watering place, he knows what it is to have drunk, he knows the
road, he is skilled in pastures, he does not milk dry, and he shows extra
veneration to those bulls who are fathers and leaders of the herd.
When a cattle worker possesses these eleven factors, he is capable of
keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.
So too, Monks, when a Monk possesses these eleven qualities, he is
capable of growth, increase, and maturity in The Teachings and Discipline.
What eleven?
Here a Monk has wisdom of form, he is skilled in characteristics, he removes
flies’ eggs, he dresses wounds, he smokes out the sheds, he knows the
watering place, he knows what it is to have drunk, he knows the road, he is
skilled in pastures, he does not milk dry, and he shows extra veneration to
those elder Monks of long-standing who have long gone forth, the fathers
and leaders of The Community.
How does a Monk remove flies’ eggs?
Here, when a thought of sensual desire has arisen, a Monk does not tolerate
it; he abandons it, removes it, does away with it, and obliterates it. When a
thought of ill will has arisen...When a thought of harming has arisen...When
evil unwholesome states have arisen, a Monk does not tolerate them; he
abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and obliterates them.
That is how a Monk removes flies’ eggs.
35


How does a Monk dress wounds?
Here, on seeing a form with the eye, a Monk does not grasp at its signs and
features. Since if he left the eye sense base unguarded, evil unwholesome
states of craving and aversion might invade him, he practices the way of its
restraint, he guards the eye sense base, he undertakes the restraint of the
eye sense base. On hearing a sound with the ear...On smelling an odor with
the nose...On tasting a flavor with the tongue...On touching a physical object
with the body...On recognizing a mental object with the mind, a Monk does
not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the mind sense base
unguarded, evil unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade
him, he practices the way of its restraint, he guards the mind sense base, he
undertakes the restraint of the mind sense base.
That is how a Monk dresses wounds.
(Here only two of the eleven factors are shared as these two apply to ‘sensual
desire and The Six Sense Bases’. See the included reference for the entire
Teaching.)
(Reference: AN 11.17)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how one would experience growth,
increase and maturity on The Path to Enlightenment. He provides eleven (11) factors that
contribute to a Practitioners growth on The Path to Enlightenment.
Two (2) of these factors are shared here as they directly relate to The Six Sense Bases.
The others can be explored through using the provided reference to see the original
source.
How does a Monk remove flies’ eggs?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner “does
not tolerate” an arisen “thought of sensual desire”.
To eliminate discontentedness of the mind, a Practitioner will need to deeply understand
the cause of discontentedness and how to eliminate all discontent feelings to attain
Enlightenment. This is explained in The Four Noble Truths, and the entire Path to
Enlightenment is shared to eliminate all discontentedness.
A comprehensive life practice that includes learning, reflecting, and practicing The Eight
Fold Path. That includes meditation and applying all that is part of The Path to
Enlightenment in daily life.
36


A Practitioner should develop Right Mindfulness to be aware of any arising thought of
sensual desire then apply Right Effort to “cut it off and let it go”. With a well developed
practice of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and generosity, a Practitioner should have
the mindfulness to be aware of arising sensual desire and have the ability to “cut it off and
let it go”. Through training the mind in meditation, then they will have the ability to
accomplish this goal outside of meditation during daily life.
As a Practitioner becomes more and more skilled at applying the training of Breathing
Mindfulness Meditation into daily life, over time, sensual desire will arise less frequently.
But, this takes time and dedication through a well developed life practice.
The Buddha explains that not only will a Practitioner not tolerate arising “sensual desire”
and “abandons it, removes it, does away with it, and obliterates it” but also the same for
any arising “ill will” or “thought of harming”. This relates back to Right Intention of The
Eight Fold Path.
When a Practitioner does not tolerate arising sensual desire, ill will, or thoughts of
harming, they can then actively and consistently practice Right Intention leading to
wholesome outcomes through practicing all the other steps of The Eight Fold Path.
How does a Monk dress wounds?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner “does not
grasp” at forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, or mental objects. Allowing the
mind to long, yearn, grasp, want, expect agreeable objects would only continue to
support the mind’s interest to base its inner feelings on impermanent conditions creating
pleasant feelings. And, allowing the mind to push away or reject disagreeable objects
would only continue to support the mind’s interest to base its inner feelings on
impermanent conditions creating painful feelings.
Instead, Gotama Buddha is guiding Practitioners to guard all of The Six Sense Bases
retraining the mind not allowing it to having longing or rejection of agreeable or
disagreeable forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
Initially, this takes a lot of work and effort using all aspects of these Teachings to train the
mind to be restrained. It is The Eight Fold Path and all the supporting Teachings that will
guide a Practitioner in understanding exactly how to train the mind to accomplish this
goal. Guidance from a Teacher who has eliminated the fetter/taint/pollution of mind
described as “sensual desire” is highly important as they will be able to guide you in
exactly how to eliminate sensual desire because they have already accomplished that
goal. This can only be accomplished through determination, dedication, and diligence to
developing your life practice.
Once one is well underway with having developed their life practice to start eliminating
sensual desire, then a Practitioner can actively apply The Teachings of The Buddha to
move the mind away from sensual desire so that it no longer has craving or aversion
towards any forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, or mental objects through
the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind.
In this way, a Practitioner has “dressed the wound”. Just as the wound is protected by
the bandage, the mind is protected through its training of restraint and a dedicated
Practitioner who watches over the mind.
37


The Mind Dwells In
Excitement
38


Chapter 6
The Three Underlying Tendencies
Monks, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the
meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a
feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises; the meeting of
the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt as
pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Dependent on the nose and odors, nose-consciousness arises; the meeting
of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt
as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Dependent on the tongue and flavors, tongue-consciousness arises; the
meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a
feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Dependent on the body and physical objects, body-consciousness arises;
the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a
feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Dependent on the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness arises; the
meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition, there arises [a
feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither painful-nor-pleasant.
When one is touched by a pleasant feeling, if one excites in it, welcomes it,
and remains holding to it, then the underlying tendency to crave lies within
one.
When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and has
displeasure, weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the
underlying tendency to aversion lies within one.
When one is touched by a neither painful-nor-pleasant feeling, if one does
not understand as it actually is, the cause, the disappearance, the
gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance (unknowing of true reality) lies within one.
39

Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of discontentedness
without abandoning the underlying tendency to crave for pleasant feelings,
without abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful
feelings, without eliminating the underlying tendency to ignorance
(unknowing of true reality) in regard to neither painful-nor-pleasant feelings,
without abandoning ignorance and arousing true wisdom - this is impossible.
(Reference: MN 148)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner needs to eliminate
craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) in order to eliminate
discontentedness.
The Buddha shares how The Six Internal Sense Bases and The Six External Sense Bases
with contact as condition arises the consciousness of the object (i.e. awareness of the
object).
When a Practitioner experiences pleasant feelings arise due to eye-consciousness, ear-
consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, or
mind-consciousness, “if one excites in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to it, then the
underlying tendency to crave lies within one”. This means that if the Practitioner
experiences excitement, welcomes the contact, remaining holding on to it, then there is
craving/desire/attachment in the mind. Observing this, a wise Practitioner would apply
Right Effort to eliminate the craving/desire/attachment so that they can eliminate the
arising pleasant feelings that are arising due to this impermanent condition. Training the
mind to not long or yearn (i.e. chase after the objects of its affection) for pleasant feelings
through The Six Sense Bases will train the mind to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of
mind described as “sensual desire”. If a Practitioner welcomes in the impermanent
pleasant feelings, then they are inviting in the painful feelings. If the mind is allowed to
base its inner feelings on impermanent conditions arising pleasant feelings, then the mind
will experience painful feelings and/or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant at
some point. Eliminating the cravings/desires/attachments that are causing the pleasant
feelings will then eliminate the mind experiencing painful feelings and feelings that are
neither painful-nor-pleasant. The mind can be liberated from all discontentedness.
When a Practitioner experiences painful feelings arise due to eye-consciousness, ear-
consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, or
mind-consciousness, “if one sorrows, grieves and has displeasure, weeps beating one’s
breast and becomes distraught then the underlying tendency to aversion lies within one”.
This means that if the Practitioner experiences sorrow, grief, displeasure, anger, sadness,
frustration, irritation, annoyance, etc., then there is craving/desire/attachment in the mind.
Observing this, a wise Practitioner would apply Right Effort to eliminate the craving/
desire/attachment so that they can eliminate the arising painful feelings that are arising
due to this impermanent condition. Training the mind to not be averse (i.e. push away the
disagreeable experience) to painful feelings through The Six Sense Bases will train the
mind to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “sensual desire”. If a
Practitioner is averse to the impermanent painful feelings, then the mind is still craving/
desiring pleasant feelings. If the mind is allowed to base its inner feelings on impermanent
conditions arising painful feelings, then the mind will experience difficulties being
40


uncomfortable and unwilling to face the challenges that it disagrees with through
maintaining its craving/desire/attachment to pleasant feelings. Eliminating the cravings/
desires/attachments that are causing the painful feelings will then eliminate the mind
experiencing painful feelings and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant. The mind
can be liberated from all discontentedness.
When a Practitioner experiences neither painful-nor-pleasant feelings arise due to eye-
consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-
consciousness, or mind-consciousness, “if one does not understand as it actually is the
cause, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance (unknowing of true reality) lies within
one”. This means that if the Practitioner experiences boredom, loneliness, shyness,
displeasure, discomfort, dissatisfaction, etc., then there is craving/desire/attachment in
the mind. Observing this, a wise Practitioner would apply Right Effort to eliminate the
craving/desire/attachment so that they can eliminate the arising neither painful-nor-
pleasant feelings that are arising due to this impermanent condition. Training the mind to
not be ignorant (i.e. unknowing of true reality) to neither painful-nor-pleasant feelings
through The Six Sense Bases will train the mind to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of
mind described as “sensual desire”. If a Practitioner is unaware of the impermanent
neither painful-nor-pleasant feelings, then the mind is still unknowing of true reality. If the
mind is allowed to base its inner feelings on impermanent conditions arising neither
painful-nor-pleasant feelings, then the mind will not understand “as it actually is the
cause, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that
feeling”.
Cause: craving/desire/attachment
Disappearance: The Universal Truth of Impermanence
Gratification: The unEnlightened mind’s fetter/taint/pollution of “sensual desire”
Danger: The Universal Truth of Discontentedness
Escape: The Eight Fold Path
Eliminating the cravings/desires/attachments that are causing the pleasant feelings,
painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant through learning,
reflecting, and practicing The Eight Fold Path will then eliminate discontentedness from
being experienced by the mind. The mind can be liberated from all discontentedness.
1.) Eyes come in contact with a form, arising awareness of the form is eye-
consciousness.
2.) Ears come in contact with a sound, arising awareness of the sound is ear-
consciousness.
3.) Nose comes in contact with an odor, arising awareness of the odor is nose-
consciousness.
4.) Tongue comes in contact with a flavor, arising awareness of the flavor is tongue-
consciousness.
5.) Body comes in contact with a physical object, arising awareness of the physical object
is body-consciousness.
41


6.) Mind comes in contact with a mental object, arising awareness of the mental object is
mind-consciousness.
It is through the mind developing the deep understanding of how consciousness (i.e.
awareness) of objects experienced through contact arises pleasant feelings, painful
feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant that the mind can then apply
Right Effort “cut off and let go” of the arising discontentedness. This is how a Practitioner
can then eliminate 100% of all discontentedness.
Learning, reflecting, and practicing The Four Foundations of Mindfulness will allow a
Practitioner to develop their awareness of the arising discontentedness sooner and
sooner so that the mind is not affected by the arising discontentedness.
Without the understanding of The Six Sense Bases and how the unEnlightened mind
longs, yearns, and chases after pleasant feelings through The Six Sense Bases, a
Practitioner would be unable to attain Enlightenment. Without the understanding and
practice of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a Practitioner would be unable to attain
Enlightenment.
Detailed explanation of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness is available in this same
book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That
Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
The Buddha finishes this Teaching ensuring Students understand that without the
elimination of craving, anger (aversion), and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), it would
be impossible to eliminate discontentedness. He shares that in the following paragraph.
“Monks, that one shall here and now make an end of discontentedness without
abandoning the underlying tendency to crave for pleasant feelings, without abolishing the
underlying tendency to aversion towards painful feelings, without eliminating the
underlying tendency to ignorance (unknowing of true reality) in regard to neither painful-
nor-pleasant feelings, without abandoning ignorance and arousing true wisdom - this is
impossible”.
Transforming The Three Poisons: Craving, Anger, and Ignorance
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings to eliminate craving, anger, and ignorance are known, for
good reason, as The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome Roots, and The Three Fires.
Also known as (greed, hatred, and delusion) or (desire, ill will, and confusion).
These are The Three Poisons that exist and are present in the mind as part of rebirth into
the human realm. It is our goal, through these Teachings, to eliminate these three poisons
through practice of non-craving or generosity, non-anger or loving-kindness, and non-
ignorance or wisdom. To attain Enlightenment, one would need to completely eliminate
The Three Poisons.
These metaphors suggest how dangerous afflictive thoughts and emotions can be if they
are not understood and transformed. Craving (Greed/Desire) refers to our selfishness,
desire, attachment, and grasping for contentedness and satisfaction outside of ourselves.
Anger (Hatred/Ill Will) refers to our hostility and aggression, our aversion and repulsion
toward unpleasant people, circumstances, and even toward our own uncomfortable
feelings. Ignorance (Delusion/Confusion) refers to our dullness, confusion, and
42


misperception; our unknowing or wrong views of reality misunderstanding the world
around us as described as part of The Natural Laws of Existence in Gotama Buddha’s
Teachings.
The poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) — mask our true
nature, the awakened mind of wisdom and compassion. These poisonous states of mind
then motivate non-virtuous and unskillful intentions, speech, and actions, which produces
unwholesome Kamma so they need to be transformed, remedied and an antidote applied
to experience the brightness of the Enlightened mind.
Craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) are deeply embedded in the
conditioning of our personalities. Our behavior is habitually influenced and tainted by
these three poisons, these unwholesome roots buried deep into the mind. Burning within
us as craving (greed/desire), anger (hatred/ill will), and ignorance (delusion/confusion),
these poisons lay to waste hearts, lives, hopes, and civilizations, driving us blind and
thirsty through the seemingly endless round of birth and death - The Cycle of Rebirth.
Gotama Buddha describes these defilements as bonds, hindrances, and knots; the actual
root cause of unwholesome Kamma and the entire spectrum of human discontentedness.
It is The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome Roots, or The Three Fires that keeps the
mind in the unEnlightened state. It is only when a Practitioner deeply understands these
and uproots them from the mind, that one can reside permanently peaceful, calm, serene,
and content with joy.
Although this Teaching may appear negative or unpleasant, indeed, a wise understanding
of The Three Poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is
ultimately positive and empowering. With this superb understanding, we can clearly see
and feel the factors that are causing discontentedness and suffering in our lives. And with
this clarity and insight, we can make the choice to eliminate those factors.
The Teaching of The Four Noble Truths clearly explains that when we embrace and
understand the exact causes of our discontentedness, suffering and dissatisfaction, we
can then take the necessary steps to extinguish those causes and liberate the mind. This
is certainly positive and empowering.
In addition, it is important for us to realize that Gotama Buddha’s Teachings regarding
defilement and purification are not just rigid, restrictive, or authoritarian theories regarding
morality, but are real and solid truths essential to our correct understanding of reality and
eventual awakening. Through learning these Teachings and the practice of these
Teachings, we awaken to true reality, acquiring wisdom, eliminating the poison of
ignorance/delusion or “unknowing” we have of true reality that keeps The Three Poisons
well rooted into the mind causing us untold amounts of discontentedness and suffering.
Through learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings while seeking guidance with
a Teacher, a Practitioner will independently observe the truth acquiring wisdom to liberate
the mind removing these poisons to experience Enlightenment.
Detailed explanation of The Three Poisons and how to eliminate them is available in this
same book series found in Chapter 8 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path
That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
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Chapter 7
Who Seeks Excitement in Discontentedness is
Not Freed From Discontentedness
Monks, one who seeks excitement in form
seeks excitement in discontentedness...
One who seeks excitement in feeling
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in perception
seeks excitement in discontentedness...
One who seeks excitement in volitional formations (choices/decisions)
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in consciousness
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in discontentedness,
I say, is not freed from discontentedness.
(Reference: SN 22.29)


44

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner who seeks pleasant
feelings (i.e. excitement) in The Five Aggregates or discontentedness is not Enlightened.
The Five Aggregates are what makes “a being, a being”. A living being will have all five
aggregates, also known as “elements” or “collections”.
The Five Aggregates
Form: the physical body.
Feelings: results of experiences in the mind through The Six Sense Bases.
Perceptions: a belief or opinion based on how things seem.
Volitional Formations: choices or decisions that are made.
Consciousness: the mind.
It is when the mind “clings” or “holds on” to The Five Aggregates that the mind
experiences continued discontentedness. Observing the impermanent nature of The Five
Aggregates, a human being can “let go” no longer experiencing discontentedness due to
“holding on” to The Five Aggregates experiencing constant rebirth in The Cycle of
Rebirth.
Due to clinging to The Five Aggregates and a being coming into existence, the mind will
experience discontentedness.
All unEnlightened beings will experience discontentedness.
Discontentedness: Gotama Buddha describes three feelings as discontent. The goal of
these Teachings is to eliminate discontentedness of mind providing the mind a permanent
place to reside in Enlightenment.
- A pleasant feeling (happiness, excitement, elation, thrill, exhilaration, euphoria, etc.)
- A painful feeling (sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fear,
stress, etc.)
- A feeling that is neither painful-nor-pleasant (boredom, loneliness, shyness, displeased,
uncomfortable, unsatisfied, etc.)
As long as the mind continues to “hold on” to The Five Aggregates, it will not be able to
experience Enlightenment. Eliminating any arising pleasant feelings associated with
clinging to The Five Aggregates will bring the mind closer to Enlightenment.
45


Chapter 8
Who Seeks Excitement in The Six Sense Bases
Seeks Excitement in Discontentedness
Monks,
one who seeks excitement in the eye
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in the ear
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in the nose
seeks excitement in discontentedness...
One who seeks excitement in the tongue
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in the body
seeks excitement in discontentedness…
One who seeks excitement in the mind
seeks excitement in discontentedness.
One who seeks excitement in discontentedness,
I say, is not freed from discontentedness.
(Reference: SN 35.19)


46

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner who seeks pleasant
feelings (i.e. excitement) in The Six Sense Bases or discontentedness is not Enlightened.
As long as the mind continues to have craving/desire/attachment through The Six Sense
Bases, it will not be able to experience Enlightenment. A Practitioner needs to take active
steps to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters
including “sensual desire”.
Through eliminating the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “sensual desire”, the
mind can be liberated from its constant searching for satisfaction in impermanent
conditions through The Six Sense Bases. This is a significant aspect of liberating the mind
and will require focus, attention, and diligence to actively work towards the elimination of
sensual desire. Otherwise, the mind will continue to experience pleasant feelings, painful
feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant (i.e. discontentedness) based
on its cravings/desires/attachments and thus, the mind will not be freed from
discontentedness.
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Chapter 9
One Dwelling with Craving As A Partner
‘Venerable Sir, in what way is one dwelling with a partner?’
There are, Migajala, forms recognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely,
agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tempting.
If a Monk seeks excitement in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to
them, excitement arises.
When there is excitement, there is obsession of mind.
When there is obsession of mind, there is bondage.
Bound by the fetter of sensual desire, Migajala, a Monk is called one
dwelling with a partner.
There are, Migajala, sounds recognizable by the ear…odors recognizable by
the nose...flavors recognizable by the tongue...physical objects recognizable
by the body...mental objects recognizable by the mind that are desirable,
lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tempting. If a Monk seeks
excitement in them…he is called one dwelling with a partner.
Migajala, even though a Monk who dwells thus resorts to forests and groves,
to remote lodgings where there are few sounds and little noise, unoccupied,
hidden from people, appropriate for seclusion, he is still called one dwelling
with a partner.
For what reason?
Because craving is his partner, and he has not abandoned it; therefore he is
called one dwelling with a partner.
‘Venerable Sir, in what way is one a lone dweller?’
There are, Migajala, forms recognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely,
agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tempting.
If a Monk does not seek excitement in them, does not welcome them, and
does not remain holding to them, excitement is eliminated.
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When there is no excitement, there is no obsession of mind.
When there is no obsession of mind, there is no bondage.
Released from the fetter of sensual desire, Migajala, a Monk is called a lone
dweller.
There are, Migajala, sounds recognizable by the ear…odors recognizable by
the nose...flavors recognizable by the tongue...physical objects recognizable
by the body...mental objects recognizable by the mind that are desirable,
lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tempting. If a Monk does not
seek excitement in them...he is called a lone dweller.
Migajala, even though a Monk who dwells thus lives in the vicinity of a
village, associating with male and female Ordained Practitioners with male
and female Household Practitioners, with Kings and Royal Ministers, with
Sectarian Teachers and their disciples, he is still called a lone dweller.
For what reason?
Because craving is his partner, and he has abandoned it; therefore he is
called a lone dweller.
(Reference: SN 35.63)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he highlights his central Teaching of how craving/
desire/attachment leads to discontentedness of the mind describing craving as a
“partner”. One who has eliminated craving/desire/attachment is described as a “lone
dweller”.
With craving/desire/attachment in the mind, a Practitioner’s mind will be unliberated
experiencing continuous discontentedness. The mind will continue to chase after the
objects of its affection in an attempt to please the craving. Never experiencing lasting
satisfaction, the mind continues to long with a strong eagerness through The Six Internal
Sense Bases of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind for The Six External Sense
Bases of forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
The mind is “bound by the fetter of sensual desire”. The mind is inhibited, trapped, and
bound to getting pleasure through The Six Sense Bases attempting to satisfy its “sensual
desire” but never experiences lasting satisfaction due to the mind basing its inner feelings
on impermanent conditions through The Six Sense Bases.
The unEnlightened mind wants “desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing,
tempting” forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects at all times
permanently. The unEnlightened mind is chasing pleasant feelings “seeks excitement in
them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, excitement arises”.
“When there is excitement, there is obsession of mind” as the mind will be unable to be
calm and peaceful while excitement arises and obsesses the mind.
Even though one may be alone, with craving/desire/attachment, a Practitioner “is called
one dwelling with a partner”.
The Buddha then provides the opposite to reinforce the elimination of craving/desire/
attachment as the goal of these Teachings and what leads to Enlightenment.
If a Practitioner “does not seek excitement in them, does not welcome them, and does not
remain holding to them, excitement is eliminated”. “When there is no excitement, there is
no obsession of mind”. “When there is no obsession of mind, there is no bondage” as the
mind is liberated from craving/desire/attachment.
A Practitioner who has trained the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment is
“released from the fetter of sensual desire” and “is called a lone dweller”.
Sensual desire is just one of The Ten Fetters that needs to be eliminated to experience
Enlightenment. Liberating the mind from all of The Ten Fetters a Practitioner will
experience peace, calmness, serenity, and contentedness with joy - permanently.
50


Chapter 10
Incapable of Growth, Increase, and Maturity in
The Teachings and Discipline
Monks, when a cattle worker possesses eleven factors, he is incapable of
keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.
What eleven?
Here a cattle worker has no wisdom of form, he is unskilled in
characteristics, he fails to remove flies’ eggs, he fails to dress wounds, he
fails to smoke out the sheds, he does not know the watering place, he does
not know what it is to have drunk, he does not know the road, he is unskilled
in pastures, he milks dry, and he shows no extra veneration to those bulls
who are fathers and leaders of the herd.
When a cattle worker possesses these eleven factors, he is incapable of
keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.
So too, Monks, when a Monk possesses eleven qualities, he is incapable of
growth, increase, and maturity in these Teachings and Discipline.
What eleven?
Here a Monk has no wisdom of form, he is unskilled in characteristics, he
fails to remove flies’ eggs, he fails to dress wounds, he fails to smoke out the
sheds, he does not know the watering place, he does not know what it is to
have drunk, he does not know the road, he is unskilled in pastures, he milks
dry, and he shows no extra veneration to those elder Monks of long-standing
who have long gone forth, the fathers and leaders of The Community.
How does a Monk fail to remove flies’ eggs?
Here, when a thought of sensual desire has arisen, a Monk tolerates it; he
does not abandon it, remove it, do away with it, and obliterate it. When a
thought of ill will has arisen…When a thought of harming has arisen…When
evil unwholesome states have arisen, a Monk tolerates it; he does not
abandon it, remove it, do away with it, and obliterate it.
That is how a Monk fails to remove flies’ eggs.
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How does a Monk fail to dress wounds?
Here, on seeing a form with the eye, a Monk grasps at its signs and features.
Even though, when he leaves the eye sense base unguarded, evil
unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade him, he does not
practice the way of its restraint, he does not guard the eye sense base, he
does not undertake the restraint of the eye facility. On hearing a sound with
the ear… On smelling an odor with the nose… On tasting a flavor with the
tongue... On touching a physical object with the body... On recognizing a
mental object with the mind, he grasps at its signs and features. Even
though, when he leaves the mind sense base unguarded, evil unwholesome
states of craving and aversion might invade him, he does not practice the
way of its restraint, he does not guard the mind sense base, he does not
undertake the restraint of the mind sense base.
That is how a Monk fails to dress wounds.
(Here only two of the eleven factors are shared as these two apply to ‘sensual
desire and The Six Sense Bases’. See the included reference for the entire
Teaching.)
(Reference: AN 11.17)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how one would be incapable of
experiencing growth, increase and maturity on The Path to Enlightenment. He provides
eleven (11) factors that contribute to a Practitioners growth on The Path to Enlightenment.
Two (2) of these factors are shared here as they directly relate to The Six Sense Bases.
The others can be explored through using the provided reference to see the original
source.
How does a Monk fail to remove flies' eggs?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner
“tolerates” an arisen “thought of sensual desire”.
To eliminate discontentedness of the mind, a Practitioner will need to deeply understand
the cause of discontentedness and how to eliminate all discontent feelings to attain
Enlightenment. This is explained in The Four Noble Truths and the entire Path to
Enlightenment is shared to eliminate all discontentedness.
A comprehensive life practice that includes learning, reflecting, and practicing The Eight
Fold Path. That includes meditation and applying all that is part of The Path to
Enlightenment in daily life.
A Practitioner should develop Right Mindfulness to be aware of any arising thought of
sensual desire then apply Right Effort to “cut it off and let it go”. With a well developed
practice of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and generosity, a Practitioner should have
the mindfulness to be aware of arising sensual desire and have the ability to “cut it off and
let it go”. Through training the mind in meditation, then they will have the ability to
accomplish this goal outside of meditation during daily life.
As a Practitioner becomes more and more skilled at applying the training of Breathing
Mindfulness Meditation into daily life, over time, sensual desire will arise less frequently.
But, this takes time and dedication through a well developed life practice.
The Buddha explains that not only will a Practitioner not tolerate arising “sensual desire”
and “abandons it, removes it, does away with it, and obliterates it” but also the same for
any arising “ill will” or “thought of harming”. This relates back to Right Intention of The
Eight Fold Path.
When a Practitioner tolerates arising sensual desire, ill will, or thoughts of harming, they
cannot then actively and consistently practice Right Intention leading to wholesome
outcomes through practicing all the other steps of The Eight Fold Path.
How does a Monk fail to dress wounds?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner
“grasps” at forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, or mental objects. Allowing
the mind to long, yearn, grasp, want, expect agreeable objects would only continue to
support the minds interest to base its inner feelings on impermanent conditions creating
pleasant feelings. And, allowing the mind to push away or reject disagreeable objects
would only continue to support the minds interest to base its inner feelings on
impermanent conditions creating painful feelings.
Instead, Gotama Buddha is guiding Practitioners to guard all of The Six Sense Bases
retraining the mind not allowing it to having longing or rejection of agreeable or
disagreeable forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
53


Not To Let The Mind
Dwell in Excitement
55


Chapter 11
With Destruction of Excitement
The Mind is Liberated
Seeing rightly, he experiences the fading away of strong feelings.
With the destruction of excitement, comes destruction of craving;
With the destruction of craving, comes destruction of excitement.
With the destruction of excitement and craving, the mind is said to be well
liberated.
(Reference: SN 22.51)