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B0102020301devadahavaggo (deva sutra)

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that food is considered repulsive.’’ ‘‘Even so, Sunakkhatta, for a person inclined towards the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, those fetters of the dimension of nothingness... His fetters are gone. He should be understood thus: 'Indeed, a person disjoined from the fetter of the dimension of nothingness, is devoted to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.' "Indeed, Sunakkhatta, there is a case where a certain person is rightly devoted to Nibbāna. For such a person, Sunakkhatta, who is rightly devoted to Nibbāna, talk that corresponds to it arises, he reflects and ponders on what is in accordance with that Dhamma, he associates with such a person, and finds satisfaction in them; but when talk connected with the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception is being spoken, he does not listen, he does not lend an ear, he does not direct his mind to it, he does not associate with such a person, nor does he find satisfaction in them. Just as, Sunakkhatta, a palm tree whose crown has been cut off is incapable of growing again; even so, Sunakkhatta, for a person rightly devoted to Nibbāna, those fetters of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception are uprooted, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, incapable of future arising. He should be understood thus: 'Indeed, a person disjoined from the fetter of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception is rightly devoted to Nibbāna.'" "Indeed, Sunakkhatta, there is a case where a certain bhikkhu might think thus: 'Craving, indeed, is called a dart by the recluse, ignorance is its poisonous venom, it causes suffering through lustful desire and ill-will. That dart of craving is abandoned by me, the poisonous venom of ignorance is removed, I am rightly devoted to Nibbāna.' Such a conceit of his, being untrue. Then he would engage in things unsuitable for one rightly devoted to Nibbāna; he would engage in seeing forms with the eye that are unsuitable, he would engage in hearing sounds with the ear that are unsuitable, he would engage in smelling odors with the nose that are unsuitable, he would engage in tasting flavors with the tongue... should pursue taste, should pursue touch with the body that is unsuitable, should pursue mental phenomena with the mind that is unsuitable. For him, who pursues the sight of forms with the eye that is unsuitable, who pursues sounds with the ear that is unsuitable, who pursues smells with the nose that is unsuitable, who pursues tastes with the tongue that is unsuitable, who pursues touch with the body that is unsuitable, who pursues mental phenomena with the mind that is unsuitable, lust would corrupt his mind. With a mind corrupted by lust, he would meet death, or suffering like death. Just as, Sunakkhatta, a man might be pierced by an arrow, poisoned with a strong coating. His friends, companions, relatives, and kinsmen would bring a surgeon, a physician. That surgeon, that physician, would cut open the mouth of the wound with a knife. Having cut open the mouth of the wound with a knife, he would probe for the arrow with a probe. Having probed for the arrow with a probe, he would pull out the arrow, and remove the poison, leaving some residue. Knowing that there was some residue, he would say this: "Good man, your arrow has been extracted, the poison has been removed, leaving some residue. It will not be an obstacle for you. You should eat suitable foods, lest by eating unsuitable foods, your wound should fester. You should wash the wound from time to time, and anoint the mouth of the wound from time to time, lest by not washing the wound from time to time, and not anointing the mouth of the wound from time to time, pus and blood should accumulate at the mouth of the wound. And do not expose yourself to wind and sun, lest by exposing yourself to wind and sun, dust and chaff should corrupt the mouth of your wound. And, good man, you should live protecting the wound, healing the wound." Then he would think: "My arrow has been extracted, the poison has been removed, without residue." the remainder. And may there be no obstacles for me. He would eat unsuitable foods. As he eats unsuitable foods, his wound would discharge. He would not clean the wound at the proper time, nor would he apply ointment to the wound opening at the proper time. As he does not clean the wound at the proper time, nor apply ointment to the wound opening at the proper time, pus and blood would cover the wound opening. He would also engage in activities in wind and sun. As he engages in activities in wind and sun, dust and grit would cling to the wound opening. He would not live protecting the wound, nor healing the wound. Due to this unsuitable conduct, and the unpurified, poisonous impurity, the wound, with its remaining attachments, would worsen in both ways. With the worsened wound, he would meet death, or suffering like death. Even so, Sunakkhatta, it is possible that a certain monk here might think: ‘Craving has been called a dart by the recluse, the poisonous impurity of ignorance is afflicted by lust and ill-will. That dart of craving has been abandoned by me, the poisonous impurity of ignorance has been removed, I am rightly devoted to Nibbāna.’ Such a conceit would be untrue for him. He would then engage in what is unsuitable for one rightly devoted to Nibbāna. He would engage in unsuitable seeing of forms with the eye, he would engage in unsuitable hearing of sounds with the ear, he would engage in unsuitable smelling of odors with the nose, he would engage in unsuitable tasting of flavors with the tongue, he would engage in unsuitable touching of tangibles with the body, he would engage in unsuitable cognizing of mental objects with the mind. As he engages in unsuitable seeing of forms with the eye, as he engages in unsuitable hearing of sounds with the ear, as he engages in unsuitable smelling of odors with the nose, as he engages in unsuitable tasting of flavors with the tongue, as he engages in unsuitable touching of tangibles with the body, as he engages in unsuitable cognizing of mental objects with the mind, lust would cling to his mind. With his mind clung to by lust, he would meet death, or suffering like death. This is death, Sunakkhatta, Indeed, Sunakkhatta, whoever in the Noble Discipline renounces the training and reverts to a lower state; that is merely like death, the suffering of falling into some defiling offense. 64. There is, Sunakkhatta, a situation where a certain monk might think thus: ‘Craving, indeed, is the dart spoken of by the recluse; the poison of ignorance is agitated by lust and passion. That dart of craving has been abandoned by me; the poison of ignorance has been removed; I am rightly liberated into Nibbana.’ Being thus rightly liberated into Nibbana, he would not engage in what is unsuitable for one rightly liberated into Nibbana. He would not engage in unsuitable sight with the eye, he would not engage in unsuitable sound with the ear, he would not engage in unsuitable smell with the nose, he would not engage in unsuitable taste with the tongue, he would not engage in unsuitable touch with the body, he would not engage in unsuitable mental phenomena with the mind. For him, not engaging in unsuitable sight with the eye, not engaging in unsuitable sound with the ear, not engaging in unsuitable smell with the nose, not engaging in unsuitable taste with the tongue, not engaging in unsuitable touch with the body, not engaging in unsuitable mental phenomena with the mind, lust would not agitate his mind. With a mind not agitated by lust, he would not encounter death, nor suffering like death. Just as, Sunakkhatta, a man might be pierced by a dart, a poisoned one, thickly smeared. His friends, companions, relatives, and kinsmen would bring a surgeon. That surgeon would cut open the mouth of the wound with a knife. Having cut open the mouth of the wound with a knife, he would search for the dart with a probe. Having searched for the dart with a probe, he would extract the dart, and remove the poison completely, without remainder. Knowing it to be without remainder, he would say thus: ‘My good man, the dart has been extracted from you, the poison has been removed without remainder. It is no longer able to harm you. Eat suitable foods... You should recover, lest your wound discharge while you eat unsuitable food. And you should wash the wound from time to time, and anoint the mouth of the wound from time to time. Lest, by not washing the wound from time to time, not anointing the mouth of the wound from time to time, pus and blood cover the mouth of the wound. And do not expose yourself to wind and sun, lest, by exposing yourself to wind and sun, dust and grit damage the mouth of your wound. And, good man, you should live protecting the wound, aiming for its healing. And he would think: 'Indeed, the dart has been extracted from me, the poison's fault has been removed without residue. There is no longer any danger for me.' So he would eat suitable food. While he ate suitable food, his wound would not discharge. And he would wash the wound from time to time, and anoint the mouth of the wound from time to time. While he washed the wound from time to time and anointed the mouth of the wound from time to time, pus and blood would not cover the mouth of the wound. And he would not expose himself to wind and sun. While he did not expose himself to wind and sun, dust and grit would not damage the mouth of his wound. And he would live protecting the wound, aiming for its healing. And by this suitable treatment, and with the poison's fault removed without residue, the wound would heal by both means. With the wound healed and skinned over, he would neither meet death nor suffering to the extent of death. "Even so, Sunakkhatta, there is this situation where a certain bhikkhu might think: 'Indeed, craving is the dart spoken of by the recluse,