Who Seeks Excitement in The Six Sense Bases Seeks Excitement in Discontentedness

Monks,

one who seeks excitement in the eye

seeks excitement in discontentedness…

One who seeks excitement in the ear

seeks excitement in discontentedness…

One who seeks excitement in the nose

seeks excitement in discontentedness...

One who seeks excitement in the tongue

seeks excitement in discontentedness…

One who seeks excitement in the body

seeks excitement in discontentedness…

One who seeks excitement in the mind

seeks excitement in discontentedness.

One who seeks excitement in discontentedness,

I say, is not freed from discontentedness.

(Reference: SN 35.19)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner who seeks pleasant feelings (i.e. excitement) in The Six Sense Bases or discontentedness is not Enlightened.

As long as the mind continues to have craving/desire/attachment through The Six Sense Bases, it will not be able to experience Enlightenment. A Practitioner needs to take active steps to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to eliminate all of The Ten Fetters including “sensual desire”.

Through eliminating the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “sensual desire”, the mind can be liberated from its constant searching for satisfaction in impermanent conditions through The Six Sense Bases. This is a significant aspect of liberating the mind and will require focus, attention, and diligence to actively work towards the elimination of sensual desire. Otherwise, the mind will continue to experience pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant (i.e. discontentedness) based on its cravings/desires/attachments and thus, the mind will not be freed from discontentedness.