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SN 12.63 Buddhist cartoon strip 3 of 4: Where can you ever get relief from contact (phassa)?

 



One of the interesting details of that sutta,
bad enough you get bitten whatever posture, whatever terrain, whatever time,
but the Buddha specifies a flayed, skinless cow.
Even more painful!


Kathañca, bhikkhave, phassāhāro daṭṭhabbo?And how should you regard contact as fuel?
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā kuṭṭañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya.Suppose there was a flayed cow.
Ye kuṭṭanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.If she stands by a wall, the creatures on the wall bite her.
Rukkhañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye rukkhanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.If she stands under a tree, the creatures in the tree bite her.
Udakañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye udakanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.If she stands in some water, the creatures in the water bite her.
Ākāsañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye ākāsanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.If she stands in the open, the creatures in the open bite her.
Yaṁ yadeva hi sā, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye tannissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.Wherever that flayed cow stands, the creatures there would bite her.


§2.7 – when contact understood → 3 sensations (vedana) understood → arahant
Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘phassāhāro daṭṭhabbo’ti vadāmi.I say that this is how you should regard contact as fuel.
Phasse, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāteWhen contact as fuel is completely understood,
tisso vedanā pariññātā honti.the three feelings are completely understood.
Tīsu vedanāsu pariññātāsuWhen the three feelings are completely understood,
ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmi.a noble-one's-disciple has nothing further to do, I say.

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