Reaching Out but Failing Again?

[Tep Sastri]

Hello Everyone -

The great mass of water, deep and wide, is comparable to the deep-and-dark kilesas (unskillful, unwholesome  qualities) that overwhelm a person's mind. One who comes up to the surface and not sinking down again has the Dhamma-eye (dhamma-cakkhu).

I think most Buddhists I know can sometimes rise up to the surface.  :)

"And how does an individual, on coming to the surface, sink down again?

There is the case where an individual comes to the surface, [seeing,]:  'Conviction in skillful qualities is good, conscience is good, concern is good, persistence is good, discernment with regard to skillful qualities is good.'

[Saadhu saddhaa kusalesu dhammesu, saadhu hirii kusalesu dhammesu, saadhu ottappa.m kusalesu dhammesu, saadhu viiriya.m kusalesu dhammesu, saadhu pa~n~naa kusalesu dhammesu] 

"But his conviction neither remains nor grows, but simply wanes away.  His conscience, his concern, his persistence, his discernment neither remain nor grow, but simply wane away. That's how an individual, on coming to the surface, sinks down again." 

[AN 7.15 Udakupama Sutta]  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.015.than.html

Truly,

Tep

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