One To Reach Growth, Increase, and Maturity in This Training Discipline

Monks, when a cattle worker possesses eleven factors, he is capable of keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.

What eleven?

Here a cattle worker has wisdom of form, he is skilled in characteristics, he removes flies’ eggs, he dresses wounds, he smokes out the sheds, he knows the watering place, he knows what it is to have drunk, he knows the road, he is skilled in pastures, he does not milk dry, and he shows extra veneration to those bulls who are fathers and leaders of the herd.

When a cattle worker possesses these eleven factors, he is capable of keeping and caring for a herd of cattle.

So too, Monks, when a Monk possesses these eleven qualities, he is capable of growth, increase, and maturity in The Teachings and Discipline.

What eleven?

Here a Monk has wisdom of form, he is skilled in characteristics, he removes flies’ eggs, he dresses wounds, he smokes out the sheds, he knows the watering place, he knows what it is to have drunk, he knows the road, he is skilled in pastures, he does not milk dry, and he shows 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 remove flies’ eggs?

Here, when a thought of sensual desire has arisen, a Monk does not tolerate it; he abandons it, removes it, does away with it, and obliterates it. When a thought of ill will has arisen...When a thought of harming has arisen...When evil unwholesome states have arisen, a Monk does not tolerate them; he abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and obliterates them.

That is how a Monk removes flies’ eggs.

How does a Monk dress wounds?

Here, on seeing a form with the eye, a Monk does not grasp at its signs and features. Since if he left the eye sense base unguarded, evil unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade him, he practices the way of its restraint, he guards the eye sense base, he undertakes the restraint of the eye sense base. 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, a Monk does not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the mind sense base unguarded, evil unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade him, he practices the way of its restraint, he guards the mind sense base, he undertakes the restraint of the mind sense base.

That is how a Monk dresses 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 experience 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 remove flies’ eggs?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner “does not tolerate” 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 does not tolerate arising sensual desire, ill will, or thoughts of harming, they can 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 dress wounds?: The Buddha shares how a Practitioner “does not grasp” 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 mind’s 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 mind’s 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.