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B0102030401saḷāyatanasaṃyuttaṃ(six sense bases connected)

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he lies down on his right side in the lion's posture, placing one foot on the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, having fixed in his mind the perception of rising. In the last watch of the night, he rises and purifies his mind from obstructive states by walking and sitting. Thus, monks, a monk is devoted to wakefulness. Monks, a monk endowed with these three qualities dwells much in happiness and joy in this very life, and the path is undertaken by him for the destruction of the taints. The Second. 3. The Tortoise Simile Sutta Formerly, monks, a tortoise, a turtle, was foraging for food on the bank of a river in the evening. And a jackal, monks, was also foraging for food on the bank of a river in the evening. The tortoise, the turtle, monks, saw the jackal foraging for food from afar. Having seen him, he drew his five limbs, including his head, into his own shell, unconcerned, silent, and remained still. And the jackal, monks, also saw the tortoise, the turtle, foraging for food from afar. Having seen him, he approached the tortoise, the turtle; having approached, he stood before the tortoise, the turtle, thinking: "When this tortoise, this turtle, extends any one of his five limbs, I will seize him right there, tear him apart, and eat him." But when, monks, the tortoise, the turtle, did not extend any one of his five limbs, I will not extend any limb. Then the jackal, frustrated with the tortoise, went away, not finding an opening. Even so, monks, Māra, the Evil One, is constantly and continuously present before you, thinking: 'Perhaps I might find an opening through their eye, or through their ear, or through their nose, or through their tongue, or through their body, or through their mind.' Therefore, monks, dwell with guarded doors in your sense faculties. Seeing a form with the eye, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. For if the eye faculty remains unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might flow in. For its restraint, practice, guard the eye faculty, achieve restraint in the eye faculty. Hearing a sound with the ear, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. Smelling an odor with the nose, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. Tasting a flavor with the tongue, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. Touching a tangible with the body, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. Cognizing a mental phenomenon with the mind, do not grasp at its general appearance, do not grasp at its detailed features. For if the mind faculty remains unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might flow in. For its restraint, practice, guard the mind faculty, achieve restraint in the mind faculty. When you, monks, dwell with guarded doors in your sense faculties, then Māra, the Evil One, will also go away, frustrated with you, not finding an opening – just as the jackal with the tortoise. The tortoise, its limbs withdrawn into its own shell, So too the monk, withdrawing his thoughts. Unattached, harming no one, fully cooled, he would blame no one. The Third. 4. The First Discourse on the Simile of the Log 241. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Kosambī, on the bank of the river Gaṅgā. The Blessed One saw a great log being carried away by the current of the river Gaṅgā. Having seen it, he addressed the monks: "Do you see, monks, that great log being carried away by the current of the river Gaṅgā?" "Yes, venerable sir." "If that [log], monks, Monks, a log of wood does not reach this bank, does not reach the far bank, does not sink in the middle, does not get stranded on a sandbank, is not seized by humans, is not seized by non-humans, is not caught in a whirlpool, does not become rotten inside; then indeed, monks, that log of wood will flow towards the ocean, will incline towards the ocean, will gravitate towards the ocean. For what reason? Flowing towards the ocean, monks, is the current of the Ganges river, inclining towards the ocean, gravitating towards the ocean. Just so, monks, if you too do not reach this bank, do not reach the far bank, do not sink in the middle, do not get stranded on a sandbank, are not seized by humans, are not seized by non-humans, are not caught in a whirlpool, do not become rotten inside; then you, monks, will flow towards Nibbana, will incline towards Nibbana, will gravitate towards Nibbana. For what reason? Flowing towards Nibbana, monks, is Right View, inclining towards Nibbana, gravitating towards Nibbana. When this was said, a certain monk said to the Blessed One: "What, venerable sir, is this bank? What is the far bank? What is sinking in the middle? What is getting stranded on a sandbank? What is being seized by humans? What is being seized by non-humans? What is being caught in a whirlpool? What is becoming rotten inside?" "‘This bank,’ monk, is a designation for the six internal sense bases. ‘The far bank,’ monk, is a designation for the six external sense bases. ‘Sinking in the middle,’ monk, is a designation for delight and lust. ‘Getting stranded on a sandbank,’ monk, is a designation for the conceit ‘I am’." "And what, monk, is being seized by humans? Here, monk, one lives associated with laypeople, delighting with them, sorrowing with them, happy when they are happy, unhappy when they are unhappy, when duties and tasks arise, one involves oneself in them. This is called, monk, , the human grab. “And what, bhikkhu, is the non-human grab? Here, bhikkhu, someone practices the holy life, aspiring to a certain divine realm—‘By this virtue, or vow, or ascetic practice, or holy life, I shall become a god or one of the gods.’ This, bhikkhu, is called the non-human grab. ‘The whirlpool grab,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for these five strands of sensual pleasure. “And what, bhikkhu, is the inner rottenness? Here, bhikkhu, someone is immoral, of evil character, impure, of suspicious conduct, with hidden deeds, no ascetic but claiming to be an ascetic, no holy liver but claiming to be a holy liver, inwardly rotten, oozing, full of refuse. This, bhikkhu, is called ‘inner rottenness.’” At that time, Nanda the cowherd was standing not far from the Blessed One. Then Nanda the cowherd said to the Blessed One, “Indeed, venerable sir, I do not approach this shore, I do not approach that shore, I do not sink in the middle, I do not get stuck on dry land, the human grab will not seize me, the non-human grab will not seize me, the whirlpool grab will not seize me, I will not be inwardly rotten. May I receive, venerable sir, ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, may I receive full admission.” “Then, Nanda, hand over the cows to their owners.” “The cows, venerable sir, will go, longing for their calves.” “You must hand over the cows to their owners, Nanda.” Then Nanda the cowherd, having handed over the cows to their owners, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said to the Blessed One, “The cows, venerable sir, have been handed over to their owners. May I receive, venerable sir, ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, may I receive full admission.” Then Nanda the cowherd received ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, he received full admission. And not long after his full admission, the venerable Nanda, dwelling alone, unplowed… …and a certain Venerable Nanda became an Arahant. Fourth. 5. The Second Discourse on the Simile of the Log 242. At one time the Blessed One was staying in Kimilā, on the bank of the river Gaṅgā. Then the Blessed One saw a great log being carried by the current of the river Gaṅgā. Having seen it, he addressed the bhikkhus: “Do you see, bhikkhus, that great log being carried by the current of the river Gaṅgā?” “Yes, venerable sir”… …When this was said, Venerable Kimila said to the Blessed One: “What then, venerable sir, is the near bank… …And what, Kimila, is inner rottenness? Here, Kimila, a bhikkhu has fallen into a certain defiling offense, from which offense no rising up is discerned. This, Kimila, is called inner rottenness.” Fifth. 6. The Discourse on the Inflow 243. At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at the Nigrodha Park. Now at that time, a new assembly hall had recently been built by the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu, not yet inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or any human being. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu said to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, a new assembly hall has recently been built by the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu, not yet inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or any human being. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, use it first. After it has been used first by the Blessed One, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu will use it. That would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.” The Blessed One consented by silence. then. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu, knowing the Blessed One's acceptance, rose from their seats, greeted the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and went to the new assembly hall. Having gone there, they spread the hall with carpets everywhere, arranged seats, set up a water jar, lit an oil lamp, and then went to the Blessed One. Having gone to him, they said to the Blessed One: "The assembly hall, venerable sir, is spread with carpets everywhere, seats are arranged, a water jar is set up, an oil lamp is lit. Now, venerable sir, let the Blessed One do as he deems fit." Then the Blessed One, having put on his lower robe, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went with the community of monks to the new assembly hall. Having gone there, he washed his feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat down facing east,