| A.11_009 | Asekha Sutta | It is better to train oneself as a thoroughbred [aajaaneyya] horse than as an unbroken colt. An unbroken colt tethered nearby a feeding trough will only think of fodder because it knows no better way to use its mind. In the same way, an untrained man will be content to let his mind be clouded by the Five Hindrances and in contemplation of: 1. earth element; 2. water element; 3. fire element; 4. air element; 5. the sphere of the infinity of space (aakaasaana~ncaayatana); 6. the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (vi~n~naa.na~ncaayatana); 7. the sphere of nothingness (aaki~nca~n~naayatana); 8. the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasa~n~naanaasa~n~naayatana); 9. this world; 10. the next world, or; 11. images seen, sounds heard, scents smelled, tastes tasted, touches felt or moods experiences. However, even though a thoroughbred may be tethered nearby a feeding trough, it doesn't dare to think of fodder, by thinks of the trainer's goad as an endebted person will think only of his debts, a prisoner will think only of freedom, or something missing or a misfortune. In the same way, as long as the well-trained man's thinking is caught up with those eleven objects of mind and the five hindrances, he will struggle to release himself from these. One should contemplate, not dependent on these eleven things, and yet contemplate. | 38/521 | Ekaadasaka Nipaata | A"nguttara | A.i. | |