(This is a simile that I have heard Theravada monks use, any offence is self inflicted)
Throw a stone at a dog, it will run scared or start chasing the stone. Throw stone at a lion, it will look for who threw the stone.
Disciples of the Blessed one seek for ‘Vijja’.
It is from the tika to VISM (see page 519 PoP).
“Just as a lion directs his strength against the man who shot the arrow at him, not against the arrow, so the Buddhas deal with the cause, not with the fruit. But just as dogs, when struck with a clod, snarl and bite the clod and do not attack the striker, so the sectarians who want to make suffering cease devote themselves to mutilating the body, not to causing cessation of defilements” (Vism-mhþ 533)
.
ñātikasutta from nidāna saṃyutta
In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
In dependence on the ear and sounds …
“In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
“In dependence on the ear and sounds …
SuttaCentral
Notice, nirodhavāra begins with craving
khīrarukkhopamasutta
The Milk-Sap Tree (SN35.231)
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree —an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara-fresh, young, tender. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?”
“Yes, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is sap.”
“So too, bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye … even trifling forms that enter into range of the eye obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are prominent.
For what reason? Because lust still exists and has not been abandoned, hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, delusion still exists and has not been abandoned.
The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear …..
•
“Bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī lust does not exist and has been abandoned, if hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, if delusion does not exist and has been abandoned, then even prominent forms that enter into range of the eye do not obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are trifling.
For what reason? Because lust does not exist and has been abandoned, hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, delusion does not exist and has been abandoned.
The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear …..
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree—an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara—dried up, desiccated, past its prime. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?”
“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is no sap.”
koṭṭhikasuttaṃ (SN35.232)
“If, friend, the eye were the fetter of forms or if forms were the fetter of the eye, this living of the holy life could not be discerned for the complete destruction of suffering.
But since the eye is not the fetter of forms nor are forms the fetter of the eye —but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both is the fetter there—the living of the holy life is discerned for the complete destruction of suffering.
“If, friend, the ear…
•
There exists in the Blessed One the eye, the Blessed One sees a form with the eye, yet there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One is well liberated in mind.
There exists in the Blessed One the ear…
sakkapañhasuttaṃ
Sakka’s Question (SN35.118)
There are, lord of the devas, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing.
If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, his consciousness becomes dependent upon them and clings to them. A bhikkhu with clinging does not attain Nibbāna.
“There are, lord of the devas, sounds cognizable by the ear …
•
There are, lord of the devas, forms cognizable by the eye …..
…mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing.
If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain holding to them, his consciousness does not become dependent upon them or cling to them. A bhikkhu without clinging attains Nibbāna.
samādhisutta (SN22.5)
One seeks delight in form, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight arises. Delight in form is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence comes to be; with existence as condition, birth;
with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
“One seeks delight
in feeling …
in perception …
in volitional formations …
in consciousness…
•
One does not seek delight in form, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight in form ceases.
With the cessation of delight comes cessation of clinging; with cessation of clinging, cessation of existence….
Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
“One does not seek delight
in feeling …
in perception …
in volitional formations …
in consciousness…
chandarāgasuttaṃ (SN22.25)
Bhikkhus, abandon desire and lust for form.
Thus that form will be abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.
Abandon desire and lust
for feeling …
for perception …
for volitional formations …
for consciousness……so that it is no more subject to future arising.
There are suttas that directly say, get rid of cakkhu, sota etc sañña,viññāṇa etc. But the principle is the same
dutiyachandarāgasuttaṃ(SN23.10)
Rādha, you should give up any desire, greed, relishing, and craving for form; and any attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. Thus that form will be given up, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future
for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness
taṇhakkhayasutta (SN46.26)
Thus, Udayī, with the destruction of craving comes the destruction of kamma; with the destruction of kamma comes the destruction of suffering.
upādāniyasuttaṃ (SN22.121)
Mendicants, I will teach you the things that fuel grasping, and the grasping. Listen …
What are the things that fuel grasping? And what is the grasping?
Form is something that fuels grasping. The desire and greed for it is the grasping.
Feeling …
Perception …
Choices …
Consciousness is something that fuels grasping. The desire and greed for it is the grasping.
These are called the things that fuel grasping, and this is the grasping.”
°
upādāniye ca, bhikkhave, dhamme desessāmi upādānañca. taṃ suṇātha.
katame ca, bhikkhave, upādāniyā dhammā, katamaṃ upādānaṃ? rūpaṃ, bhikkhave, upādāniyo dhammo, yo tattha chandarāgo, taṃ tattha upādānaṃ.
vedanā…pe… saññā… saṅkhārā… viññāṇaṃ upādāniyo dhammo, yo tattha chandarāgo, taṃ tattha upādānaṃ.
ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, upādāniyā dhammā, idaṃ upādāna"nti.
abhijānasuttaṃ(SN22.24)
Mendicants, without directly knowing and completely understanding form, without dispassion for it and giving it up, you can’t end suffering.
Without directly knowing and completely understanding feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, without dispassion for it and giving it up, you can’t end suffering.
•
By directly knowing and completely understanding form, having dispassion for it and giving it up, you can end suffering.
By directly knowing and completely understanding feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, having dispassion for it and giving it up, you can end suffering.
uttarattheragāthā(Thag2.21)
I’ve fully understood the aggregates;
I’ve eradicated craving;
I’ve developed the factors of awakening,
I’ve attained the ending of defilements.Having fully understood the aggregates,
having plucked out the weaver of the web,
having developed the factors of awakening,
being undefiled, I will be fully extinguished.
As a stepping stone for tomorrow’s sutta
paññāsuttaṃ(AN8.2)
He dwells contemplating arising and vanishing in the five aggregates subject to clinging:
‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away;
such is feeling …
such is perception …
such are volitional activities …
such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away.’
This is the eighth cause and condition that leads to obtaining the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not been obtained and to its increase, maturation, and fulfillment by development after it has been obtained.
°
pañcasu kho pana upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati –
‘iti rūpaṃ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo, iti vedanā,
iti vedanāya samudayo,
iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo,
iti saññā…pe…
iti saṅkhārā…pe…
iti viññāṇaṃ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti.
ayaṃ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo hetu aṭṭhamo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṃvattati.
Incase it is not clear from the translation, above
‘ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya’ means pañña that precedes the four supermundane paths. (ādibrahmacariyikāyāti maggabrahmacariyassa ādibhūtāya. paññāyāti vipassanāya)
This part is talking about talking the, nascent stages of that pañña
paññāsuttaṃ(SN56.63)
the sentient beings who have the noble eye of wisdom are few, while those who are ignorant and confused are many
°
appakā te sattā ye pana ariyena paññācakkhunā samannāgatā, atha kho eteva bahutarā sattā ye avijjāgatā sammuḷhā
Here especially the supermundane eye of wisdom is meant, but vipassana ñāṇa is also included due to preceding and being essential to the arising of supermundane eye of wisdom.
pariññasuttaṃ (SN22.23)
At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you things that should be fully understood and also full understanding. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, are the things that should be fully understood?
Form, bhikkhus, is something that should be fully understood; feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness is something that should be fully understood. These are called the things that should be fully understood.
“And what, bhikkhus, is full understanding? The destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion. This is called full understanding.”
The pali of the latter part
katamā ca, bhikkhave, pariññā? yo, bhikkhave, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo. ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, pariññā"ti.
It should be understood by rāgakkhayo etc that, ‘Nibbana’ is expressed, using the convention of phalavohāra. The mode of expression that refers to the cause(kāraṇa) by way of result(phala).
Indeed it is with nibbānasacchikiriyā that,
All sankhatadhammas or saṅkhatādhātu (here expressed using the khandha pariyāya)
is fully understood. And defilements are permanently destroyed.
Mendicants, there are these five grasping aggregates.
What five? That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
A noble disciple comes to truly understand these five grasping aggregates’ origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.
Such a noble disciple is called a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.”
Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu understands: ‘It is impossible, it never happens, that a person whose view is perfected should treat any formation(kañci saṅkhāraṃ) as permanent—no such possibility is found’, and he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary man should treat any formation as permanent—such a possibility is found.’
“He understands: ‘It is impossible, it never happens, that a person whose view is perfected should treat any formation(kañci saṅkhāraṃ) as pleasurable—no such possibility is found’, and he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary man should treat any formation as pleasurable—such a possibility is found.’
“He understands: ‘It is impossible, it never happens; that a person whose view is perfected should treat any dhamma as self—no such possibility is found’, and he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary man should treat any dhamma as self—such a possibility is found.’
Mendicants, a person accomplished in view has given up these six things. What six? Substantialist view, doubt, misapprehension of precepts and observances, and forms of greed, hate, and delusion that lead to rebirth in places of loss. A person accomplished in view has given up these six things.
•
chayime, bhikkhave, dhammā diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa pahīnā. katame cha? sakkāyadiṭṭhi, vicikicchā, sīlabbataparāmāso, apāyagamanīyo rāgo, apāyagamanīyo doso, apāyagamanīyo moho. ime kho, bhikkhave, cha dhammā diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa pahīnā"ti.
At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, the arising, continuation, production, and manifestation of form is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death.
The arising of feeling … of perception … of volitional formations … of consciousness is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death.
Mendicants, I will teach you suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. Listen …
And what is suffering? It should be said: the five grasping aggregates. What five? That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. This is called suffering.
And what is the origin of suffering? It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure wherever it lands. That is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence. This is called the origin of suffering.
And what is the cessation of suffering? It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it. This is called the cessation of suffering.
And what is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.”
PALI: yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo – ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodho
NOTE : cāgo, paṭinissaggo etc paccatta vacana (words in the nominative form) are terms for Nibbana, using the phalavohāra convention. The mode of expression that refers to the cause(kāraṇa) by way of result(phala).
Bhikkhus, there are these Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. These are the Four Noble Truths.
“Of these Four Noble Truths, bhikkhus,
there is a noble truth that is to be fully understood;
there is a noble truth that is to be abandoned;
there is a noble truth that is to be realized;
there is a noble truth that is to be developed.
•
cattārimāni, bhikkhave, ariyasaccāni. katamāni cattāri? dukkhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ, dukkhasamudayaṃ ariyasaccaṃ, dukkhanirodhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṃ – imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri ariyasaccāni.
imesaṃ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṃ ariyasaccānaṃ
atthi ariyasaccaṃ pariññeyyaṃ,
atthi ariyasaccaṃ pahātabbaṃ,
atthi ariyasaccaṃ sacchikātabbaṃ,
atthi ariyasaccaṃ bhāvetabbaṃ.