The Supreme Development of The Sense Bases

Now, Ānanda, how is there the supreme development of the sense bases in the Noble One’s Discipline?

Here, Ānanda, when a Monk sees a form with the eye, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable.

He understands thus:

There has arisen in me what is agreeable, there has arisen what is disagreeable, there has arisen what is both agreeable and disagreeable. But that is conditioned, clear, dependently arisen; this is peaceful, this is superb, that is, equanimity.

The agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose are eliminated in him and equanimity is established.

Just as a man with good sight, having opened his eyes might shut them or having shut his eyes might open them, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose are eliminated just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established.

This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the sense bases regarding forms recognizable by the eye.

(Similar discourses were spoken in the case of hearing a sound with the ear, smelling an odor with the nose, tasting a flavor with the tongue, touching a physical object with the body, and recognizing a mental object with the mind, though with different analogy as the following:

Sound: Just as a strong man might easily snap his fingers;

Odor: Just as raindrops on a slightly sloping lotus leaf roll off;

Flavor: Just as a strong man might easily spit out a ball of spit collected on the tip of his tongue;

Physical object: Just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm;

Mental object: Just as if a man were to let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron plate heated for a whole day, they would quickly vaporize and vanish.)

(Reference: MN 152)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner can fully develop the mind to eliminate sensual desire through The Six Sense Bases.

Whenever a Practitioner observes with mindfulness (i.e. awareness of mind) that the agreeable, disagreeable, or both agreeable and disagreeable has arisen in the mind, one should cut it off and let it go (i.e. eliminated). If not, then discontentedness will arise creating an uncalm mind.

But, when one is watchful over with Right Mindfulness, the mind can eliminate the agreeable, disagreeable, or both agreeable and disagreeable that has arisen in the mind, establishing equanimity.

Equanimity (Pāli: upekkhā) is mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation; treating everyone impartially.

If a Practitioner’s sense bases are unrestrained, the mind is uncalm and will lack peacefulness. With The Six Sense Bases restrained, a Practitioner will have mental discipline that results in a calm and peaceful mind.