OK. This is a great question that could help clarify the issue for many. Let us consider the two possibilities.
Color Is Intrinsically In Each External Object
1. If this is the case, that means we perceive the ‘true nature’ of the object, at least regarding its color.
- Since the color (and the beauty or attractiveness) is associated with the external object, it would not be possible to lose cravings for it without getting rid of it or at least by totally avoiding it.
- This was the thought process of ancient yogis who went deep into forests to avoid contact with ‘mind-pleasing things.’
- While some of them successfully cultivated jhāna with that approach, they were not able to eliminate the ‘kāma rāga saṁyojana.’ Thus, they are still not released from the ‘kāma loka.’
- Furthermore, since they still held the wrong view that the beauty or attractiveness is associated with external objects, they could not eliminate the three ‘diṭṭhi saṁyojana‘ of sakkāya diṭṭhi, vicikicchā, and silabbata parāmāsa. Thus, they are still not released from the apāyās either.
Objects in the World Do Not Have ‘Color’; Color (and Beauty) Is Mind-Made
2. Once one understands that the color (and the beauty or attractiveness) is not in external objects, but is a mind-generated phenomenon, then one realizes that the craving for it can be lost.
- That realization holds not only for color, but for all other ‘attractive features’ of sensory experiences. For example, ‘sweet taste of honey’ is not in honey, but is a mind-made illusion. I have discussed that in many posts.
- Once one’s mind fully grasps that fact, one’s mind would eliminate the three ‘diṭṭhi saṁyojana‘ of sakkāya diṭṭhi, vicikicchā, and silabbata parāmāsa, and one would attain the Sotapanna stage of Nibbāna. This fulfills the first stage of Ānāpānasati in the Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118).
- See “Ānāpāna – Adopting Buddha’s Worldview and Discarding ‘Mundane Views’.”
3. However, it is not easy to remove that ‘built-in kāma sanna‘ from the mind of even a Sotapanna. We have been trapped in the rebirth process for an eternity because of that. It is not easy to get rid of it.
- Thus, their minds would still attach to ‘attractive things in the world’ and enter the ‘kāma loka‘ automatically. However, since they have removed the three ‘diṭṭhi saṁyojana‘, they are incapable of ‘taking extreme measures’ (i.e., engaging in apāyagāmi immoral deeds) to fulfill sensory desires. That is why they are released from rebirth in the apāyās.
- A Sotapanna must cultivate Satipaṭṭhāna or the second stage of Ānāpānasati in the Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118) to enter the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi free of the kāma saññā to cultivate higher magga phala.
- See “Ānāpānasati – Mindfulness (Sati) Based on Buddha’s Worldview.”
4. Another critical point is the following. The mind can only generate energies that can lead to the formation of subtle matter, like the invisible body of a gandhabba or a Brahma.
- The kammic energy (generated in the ‘nava kamma‘ stage with javana citta) can generate only inert matter in the external world.
- Both the ‘subtle bodies’ of living beings (with the seat of the mind and the bases of sense faculties) and the inert things of the external world arise via Paṭicca Samuppāda.
- However, it cannot directly generate ‘mind-pleasing qualities’ (e.g., taste, color) in the external environment. For example, the Paṭicca Samuppāda process cannot generate ‘honey with sweet taste.’ It can only make honey, which would not have taste or color, for example. It can induce that ‘effect of taste’ only via various types of saññā built into the subtle ‘mental bodies’ of living beings. This is why honey may not be sweet for some animals, even though it tastes sweet to us and some other animals.
- Furthermore, the effect of saññā can only trigger very low levels of ‘liking’ (manāpa) at the first moment of encountering an external stimulus. It can grow into magnified ‘kāma assada‘ or “sensual pleasures’ that a puthujjana experiences only if the mind enters ‘kāma loka‘ and goes through many steps (in the ‘purāna kamma‘ and ‘nava kamma‘ stages) that I have discussed.
- I have discussed that the Buddha, or an Arahant, experiences only the faint manāpa stage.
- Thus, the sense of joy one feels with external objects (with attractive colors, tastes, etc.) is almost all mind-made and can be stopped. That is discussed in “Kāma Assāda and Pain Are Mostly Mind-Made.”
- The problem with attaching to such joyful experiences is that they lead one to commit immoral deeds or akusala kamma. That is what gets one into trouble. Such temptations may be avoided temporarily but can never be stopped until one attains at least the Sotapanna stage, where apāyagāmi deeds are blocked by the mind itself without needing a conscious effort.
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Feel free to ask questions. This is a critical issue to sort out.
- Again, thanks to Tobias for formulating that question. Questions like that help me understand what the ‘sticking points’ are.
