The Fisherman
Bāḷisika Sutta (SN 35:189)
“Monks,1 just as if a fisherman were to cast a baited hook into a deep lake and a fish with its eye out for food would swallow it—so that the fish that had thus swallowed the fisherman’s hook would fall into misfortune & disaster, and the fisherman could do with it as he will—in the same way, there are these six hooks in the world for the misfortune of beings, for the slaughter of those that breathe. Which six?
“There are forms, monks, cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire. If a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, he is said to be a monk who has swallowed Māra’s hook, who has fallen into misfortune & disaster. The Evil One can do with him as he will.
“There are sounds cognizable via the ear…
“There are aromas cognizable via the nose…
“There are flavors cognizable via the tongue…
“There are tactile sensations cognizable via the body…
“There are ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire. If a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, he is said to be a monk who has swallowed Māra’s hook, who has fallen into misfortune & disaster. The Evil One can do with him as he will.
“Now, there are forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire. If a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, he is said to be a monk who has not swallowed Māra’s hook, who has snapped the hook, who has broken the hook, who has not fallen into misfortune & disaster. The Evil One cannot do with him as he will.
“There are sounds cognizable via the ear…
“There are aromas cognizable via the nose…
“There are flavors cognizable via the tongue…
“There are tactile sensations cognizable via the body…
“There are ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire. If a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, he is said to be a monk who has not swallowed Māra’s hook, who has snapped the hook, who has broken the hook, who has not fallen into misfortune & disaster. The Evil One cannot do with him as he will.”
Note
1. The translation of this sutta in KSB starts with a paragraph and a verse that actually belong at the end of the preceding sutta.
