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The Great Sutra Treasury - Southern Transmission 21
The Discourse on Worldly Desires (S 493) reminds us that it is not possible to “stop the world” and step outside by moving through space. In the Rohitassa Sutta, Sakka (S 4.101) and Sariputta (S 4.103), the Buddha teaches that only when the six sense organs make contact without giving rise to craving—desire—attachment, in the breath—each step—the posture of mindfulness through walking meditation, sitting meditation, lion’s posture… can we truly dwell in this very life and attain Nirvana (the cessation of craving, aversion, and ignorance). In the Rahula Sutta (S 4.105) and Bharadvaja, the methods to master desire include:
- Establishing familial relationships with others (sister, mother, younger sibling…) to uphold the precept of celibacy.
- Contemplating the impurity of body and mind to see impermanence, suffering, and non-self.
- Guarding the six sense organs, not allowing the “thieves” of craving, aversion, and ignorance to invade.
Many other sutras paint vivid images:
- “The Ocean” (S 4.157): the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are vast oceans with waves, whirlpools, and sharks;
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“The Log” (S 4.179): to float out to the ocean of liberation, the log must avoid five dangers:
- Sinking in the middle of the stream (attachment)
- Running aground (arrogance)
- Being picked up by people (being pulled by lay friends)
- Whirlpools (the five sensual pleasures)
- Rotting from within (hypocrisy, loss of mindfulness)
- “The Arrow” (Connected Discourses 36): three kinds of feeling—painful, pleasant, neutral; the ordinary person suffers many times more than the noble one.
The Buddha also clearly points out:
- Nirvana is unconditioned (asaṅkhata), the cessation of suffering through Stopping—Looking deeply, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, The Noble Eightfold Path.
- With metaphysical questions (finite/infinite, self/non-self…), he remains non-committal (does not answer), considering them “wrongly posed questions.”
From this, the Buddha invites us to contemplate each moment in our breath, each step, each ray of light… like a wondrous flame, neither arising nor ceasing. Living deeply each moment, we both transcend suffering and open up the ocean of peace right here and now.