Section on Parables – Theme Four: Guarding the doors of the six sense organs

Parable 1: The wildcat devoured by its prey

How should monastics interact with people while guarding the sense doors, and upholding the precepts? At the same time, how can they remain free from attachment and worldly entanglement when confronted with worldly or external temptations? In the Saṃyukta Āgama (Sutra 1260), the Buddha used the parable of a wildcat that was devoured by the mouse that it caught, to illustrate the importance of guarding the sense doors and upholding the precepts.

Once when traveling to Jetavana Vihara in Śrāvastī, the Buddha addressed the monks: “In the past, there was a starving wildcat that hid near a hole, waiting for a chance to catch a mouse. A little mouse happened to come out of the hole to play, whereupon the wildcat quickly seized it and swallowed it whole. Yet the mouse, being so small and lean, did not die. Instead, it began to gnaw at the cat’s insides, eating away its organs. In agony, the wildcat ran madly through deserted houses and graveyards until it died in pain.”

After recounting this story, the Buddha admonished the monks: “The wildcat is like a foolish monk who goes into a village for alms, yet lacks mindfulness and fails to guard his body and sense doors. Upon seeing a woman, the foolish monk fails to bring forth the right thought and instead becomes attached to her appearance, thereby setting ablaze the fire of lust within his body and mind. Overcome by desire, his mind grows restless and can no longer abide in solitude, whether in monasteries or in forests. Consequently, unwholesomeness starts to corrode the mind, leading him to abandon the precepts and return to lay life, thereby losing the fruits of practice.” The Buddha concluded that when entering a village for alms, a monk should “guard their body well, mindfully attend to the sense doors, and keep the mind tethered to right mindfulness (sammāsati).”

Through the analogy of the wildcat devoured by the mouse, the Buddha taught that, when entering a village for alms, if a monk fails to guard the sense doors and becomes attached to physical forms, the fire of craving will consume him, and wholesome qualities will wither away, thereby even leading to breaking the precepts. This parable reminds practitioners that while interacting with others, one should remain fully aware, mindful, and protective of their body, speech, and mind.

Parable 2: Guarding the six sense organs is like a turtle hiding its limbs

Guarding the sense doors is essential for practitioners. It not only prevents laxity and heedlessness, but also protects one from the disturbances of Māra. In Saṃyukta Āgama (Sutra 1167), the Buddha used an analogy of a turtle to illustrate the benefit of restraining the six senses.

Once, when the Buddha was residing in the land of Kauśāmbī, at the Park of Ghoṣila offered by the elder Ghoṣa, the Buddha addressed the monks as usual: “In the past, a hungry jackal wandered by a river in search of food. From afar, it saw a turtle in the grass. The jackal rushed towards the turtle, hoping for a meal. The turtle, seeing the jackal approach, immediately withdrew its head, tail, and limbs into the shell to protect itself. The jackal waited nearby, thinking: ‘As soon as this turtle stretches out its head or feet, I’ll eat it!’ But no matter how long it waited, the turtle stayed perfectly still, never extending its head, tail or limbs. At last, the jackal, exhausted and famished, had no choice but to leave in frustration to search for food elsewhere.”

The Buddha explained: “The demon Māra is like that jackal, always waiting for a chance to disturb the practitioners. Whenever a practitioner becomes attached to external forms, Māra immediately seizes the opportunity to invade the mind. But if one guards the sense doors well-- not allowing the six senses to chase after external forms and become attached to them-- one will not be led astray by various external conditions. The six senses inevitably come into contact with the outer world: the eyes see forms, the ears hear sounds, and the mind perceives thoughts. When encountering unpleasant circumstances, do not give rise to anger; when encountering pleasant ones, do not give rise to attachment. One should maintain self-discipline and composure, unmoved by external conditions-- just as the turtle withdraws into its shell, beyond the jackal’s reach.”

The Buddha concluded with this verse:
“The turtle, fearing the jackal,
withdraws its head, tail and limbs into its shell.
So too should a monk guard the mind,
concealing perceptions and thoughts.
Neither clinging to nor fearing external states,
Restrain one’s own mind
without the need to say anything further.”
This parable of “Guarding the six senses like a turtle” reminds practitioners to protect the doors of the six sense organs that enter into contact with the outer world: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. One should refrain from laxity and heedlessness. Like the wise turtle that withdraws its head, tail and limbs to protect itself, one should withdraw the six senses inward, leaving no opportunity for Māra to disturb one’s cultivation. （Chiu Hui-ming邱惠敏）



 



Resource: Issue 469 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: Shutterstock 達志影像
Translation: Claire
Editing: Keith Brown,YKL