The Milk-Sap Tree
“Bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī lust still exists and has not been abandoned, if hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, if delusion still exists and has not been abandoned, then even trifling forms that enter into range of the eye obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are prominent. For what reason? Because lust still exists and has not been abandoned, hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, delusion still exists and has not been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree —an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara-fresh, young, tender. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?”
“Yes, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is sap.”
“So too, bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye … even trifling forms that enter into range of the eye obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are prominent. For what reason? Because lust still exists and has not been abandoned, hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, delusion still exists and has not been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī lust does not exist and has been abandoned, if hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, if delusion does not exist and has been abandoned, then even prominent forms that enter into range of the eye do not obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are trifling. For what reason? Because lust does not exist and has been abandoned, hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, delusion does not exist and has been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree—an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara—dried up, desiccated, past its prime. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?”
“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is no sap.”
“So too, bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye … even prominent forms that enter into range of the eye do not obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are trifling. For what reason? Because lust does not exist and has been abandoned, hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, delusion does not exist and has been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.”
- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Editor: Blake Walsh
The Simile of the Latex-Producing Tree
“Mendicants, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, still has greed, hate, and delusion, and has not given them up. If even trivial sights come into their range of vision they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.
Why is that?
Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.
When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
thoughts known by the mind, they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up. If even trivial thoughts come into the range of the mind they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.
Why is that?
Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.
Suppose there was a latex-producing tree—such as a bodhi, a banyan, a wavy leaf fig, or a cluster fig—that’s a tender young sapling.
If a man were to chop it here and there with a sharp axe, would latex come out?”
“Yes, sir.”
Why is that?
Because it still has latex.”
“In the same way, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, still has greed, hate, and delusion, and has not given them up. If even trivial sights come into their range of vision they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.
Why is that?
Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.
When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
thoughts known by the mind, they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up. If even trivial thoughts come into the range of the mind they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.
Why is that?
Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.
Take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, has no greed, hate, and delusion left, and has given them up. If even compelling sights come into their range of vision they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.
Why is that?
Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.
When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind, they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up. If even compelling thoughts come into the range of the mind they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.
Why is that?
Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.
Suppose there was a latex-producing tree—such as a bodhi, a banyan, a wavy leaf fig, or a cluster fig—that’s dried up, withered, and decrepit.
If a man were to chop it here and there with a sharp axe, would latex come out?”
“No, sir.
Why is that?
Because it has no latex left.”
“In the same way, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, has no greed, hate, and delusion left, and has given them up. If even compelling sights come into their range of vision they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.
Why is that?
Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.
When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
thoughts known by the mind, they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up. If even compelling thoughts come into the range of the mind they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.
Why is that?
Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.”
