Samsara or Nirvana? The Leash Sutra

Dhr. Seven, Ellie Askew (eds.) based on Ven. Thanissaro (orig. trans.), Gaddula Sutra: "The Leash" (1), (SN 22.99); see full explanation at "Clog-Bound Sutra" by Pa Auk Sayadaw

We undergo rebirth again, again ad nauseum.

Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, in Anathapindika's monastery. There he said: "Meditators, inconceivable is the beginning of this continued wandering on through rebirth. No beginning is evident when beings -- hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving -- began this continuous round of wandering on.

"There comes a time when the great ocean evaporates, dries up, and ceases to exist. Yet beings — as long as they remain hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, continuously reborn and wandering on — find no end of disappointment and suffering.

"There comes a time when Sineru (Mt. Sumeru), king of mountains, is consumed by flames, destroyed, and ceases to exist. Yet beings — hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, continuously reborn and wandering on — find no end of disappointment and suffering.

"There comes a time when this great earth is consumed by flame, destroyed, and ceases to exist. Yet beings — hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, continuously reborn and wandering on — find no end of disappointment and suffering.

Dogs on a leash

"I like running in circles!" (Little Tunny)

"Just as a dog, leashed to a post, keeps running around and circling, in the same way, an uninstructed ordinary worldling (an average person) — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their doctrine (dharma), who has no regard for Brahmins, is not well-versed or disciplined in their doctrine — assumes that form (a body) is self, or self possesses form, or form is in self, or self is in form.

• "or assumes feeling is self...
• "or assumes perception is self...
• "or assumes (mental) formations are self...
• "or assumes consciousness is self, or self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness.

The enso or Zen circle/zero is empty like samsara.

"One keeps running around, circling that very form...

• that very feeling...
• that very perception...
• those very formations...
• that very consciousness.

"One does not get loose and free of form, does not get loose and from of feeling... perception... formations... consciousness.

"One does not get loose and free from rebirth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. One does not get loose and free from disappointment and suffering, I say.

"However, a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed and disciplined in their doctrine, who has regard for Brahmins and is well-versed and disciplined in their doctrine — does not assume form is self, or that self possesses form, or form is in self, or self as in form.

• "does not assume feeling is self...
• "does not assume perception is self...
• "does not assume formations are self...
• "does not assume consciousness is self, or self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness.

"One does not run around circling that very form...

• that very feeling...
• that very perception...
• those very formations...
• that very consciousness.

"One gets loose and free from form, gets loose and free from feeling... perception... formations... consciousness.

"One gets loose and free from rebirth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. One gets loose and free from disappointment and suffering, I say."

• See SN 22.100
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