The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [414]
25. “The man would think: ‘The arrow has been pulled out from me; the poisonous humour has been expelled with no trace left behind, and it is incapable of harming me.’ He would eat only suitable food, and the wound would not suppurate. From time to time he would wash the wound and from time to time he would anoint its opening, and pus and blood would not cover the opening of the wound. He would not walk around in the wind and sun, and dust and dirt would not infect the opening of the wound. He would take care of his wound and would see to it that the wound heals. Then, both because he does what is suitable and because no trace was left behind when the foul poisonous humour was expelled, the wound would heal, and because it had healed and was covered with skin, he would not incur death or deadly suffering.
26. “So too, Sunakkhatta, it is possible that some bhikkhu here might think thus: ‘Craving has been called an arrow by the Recluse; [260] the poisonous humour of ignorance is spread about by desire, lust, and ill will. That arrow of craving has been pulled out from me; the poisonous humour of ignorance has been expelled. I am one who is completely intent on Nibbāna.’ Being one who really is completely intent on Nibbāna, he would not pursue those things unsuitable for one completely intent on Nibb̄na...(as above)…Because his mind is not invaded by lust, he would not incur death or deadly suffering.
27. “Sunakkhatta, I have given this simile in order to convey a meaning. This is the meaning here: ‘Wound’ is a term for the six internal bases. ‘Poisonous humour’ is a term for ignorance. ‘Arrow’ is a term for craving. ‘Probe’ is a term for mindfulness. ‘Knife’ is a term for noble wisdom. ‘Surgeon’ is a term for the Tathāgata, the Accomplished One, the Fully Enlightened One.
28. “That bhikkhu, Sunakkhatta, is one who practises restraint in the six bases of contact. Having understood that acquisition is the root of suffering,1005 being acquisitionless, liberated in the destruction of the acquisitions, it is not possible that he would direct his body or arouse his mind towards any acquisition.
29. “Suppose, Sunakkhatta, there were a bronze cup of beverage possessing a good colour, smell, and taste, but it was mixed with poison, and a man came who wanted to live, not to die, who wanted pleasure and recoiled from pain.1006 What do you think, Sunakkhatta, would that man drink that cup of beverage, knowing: ‘If I drink this I will incur death or deadly suffering’?” —“No, venerable sir.” [261]—“So too, that bhikkhu is one who practises restraint in the six bases of contact. Having understood that acquisition is the root of suffering, being acquisitionless, liberated in the destruction of acquisitions, it is not possible that he would direct his body or arouse his mind towards any acquisition.
30. “Suppose, Sunakkhatta, there were a deadly poisonous snake, and a man came who wanted to live, not to die, who wanted pleasure and recoiled from pain. What do you think, Sunakkhatta, would that man give that deadly poisonous snake his hand or his thumb, knowing: ‘If I am bitten by him I will incur death or deadly suffering’?”—“No, venerable sir.”—“So too, when a bhikkhu practises restraint in the six bases of contact, and having understood that attachment is the root of suffering, is without attachment, liberated by the destruction of attachment, it is not possible that he would direct his body or arouse his mind towards any object of attachment.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Sunakkhatta, son of the Licchavis, was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Āneñjasappāya Sutta
The Way to the Imperturbable
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD.1007 On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Kuru country