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.

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.

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.

But, if a Practitioner does not protect the mind by guarding The Six Sense Bases allowing the mind to “grasp” at forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, or mental objects through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind then, “when he leaves (The Six Sense Bases) 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”.