There is on Mount Himavat, a very tall mountain, a place at the top where monkeys do not wander, and neither do men. Further down the slope, there is a place where monkeys wander, but men do not. Near the base, both men and monkeys wander together. It is there that the monkey hunters lay traps, sticky things from which monkeys cannot escape. Some monkeys are content, these monkeys stay on the mid-slopes where men do not wander and never get trapped. Some monkeys are terrified of being trapped, and will stay high above where there is food, and starve. But some monkeys are bold and greedy, and venture down among men, where they eventually get trapped. Such greedy monkeys will reach for the bait and stick one hand onto the trap, and when their hand is stuck, will try to free it with their other hand, only to find their second hand trapped. They will then try to pull their hands free with first one foot, then the other, and when both feet are stuck, they try to pull their feet and hands free with their teeth, trapping also their head. This is how the monkey hunter finds them trapped, with both hands, both feet and their head stuck to the trap, howling in frustration. Then the monkey hunter does with the monkey what he pleases. Some monkeys are taken into captivity as pets, some killed and butchered for food, some killed and wasted. This is what happens to people, too, who wander in places they shouldn’t, in places where Mara wanders. Those who are wise stay away from such places that Mara wanders, for they will become trapped, and then enslaved or destroyed. And where does Mara wander? In forms discerned with the eye, sounds discerned by the ear, odors discerned by the nose, flavors discerned by the tongue, in touches discerned by the body. And where does Mara not wander? Wherever you are ardent, mindful, and totally aware of your body, feelings, mind, and worldly phenomenon, so as to not be greedy for the pleasures and pain of the eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. The moment you find pleasure appealing, or pain fearsome, you will be caught and there will no longer be any freedom of mind. Instead of satisfying your desires or aversions, your desire and aversion will grow more intense. You will howl like a monkey in a trap. It is necessary for monkeys to eat. It is not dangerous for monkeys to eat, unless what the monkey eats is the bait of a trap. It is the foolish and greedy nature of the monkey that is harmful to the monkey, not its appetite. A monkey who, afraid of the hungers that accompany life high on the mountain, will not be satisfied in the lower forests. A monkey too afraid of being trapped will climb into the tallest slopes and starve. Neither the lower or the higher slopes are good for the monkey. Be aware of how you attach to objects of your desire, and flee from objects of your aversion.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:56:33 +0000