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Inner Ecology - 1
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Anapanasati
Santikaro

    Bhikkhus, whatever is not yours ought to be given up. Whatever is given up by you will be for your own benefit and happiness. Bhikkhus, what is not yours?

    Bhikkhus, the eyes are not yours; you ought to give them up. The eyes that are given up by you will be for your own benefit and happiness.

    (He speaks of ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind in the same vein.)

    Bhikkhus, this can be compared to any grass, wood, leaves, or branches that people take to throw away or burn or do as they please. Would you feel about them like they "took me to throw away" or "they burned me" or "they did with me as they pleased"?

    Venerable Sir, we wouldn't feel like that at all.

    For what reason?

    Venerable Sir, because the feeling of self (atta) or belonging to self (attaniya) does not occur regarding those things.

    Bhikkhus, as with this metaphor, so eyes … ears … nose … tongue … body … mind are not yours; you ought to give them up. Those things that are given up by you will be for your own benefit and happiness.