Ahetuka Cittas which are Unknown in Daily Life - Unwise attention

When there are two people in the same situation, one person may have unwise attention and the other may have wise attention, depending on their accumulations. We read in the 'Kindred Sayings' (lV, Salāyatanavagga, Kindred Sayings on Sense, Fourth Fifty, Ch.V, par. 202, Lustful) about the monk who, after he has experienced an object through one of the six doors, has unwise attention, and about the monk who has wise attention. We read that Mahā-Moggallāna said to the monks:

 

Friends, I will teach you the way of lusting and also of not lusting.... 

And how, friends, is one lustful? 

Herein, friends, a monk, seeing object with the eye,

  feels attachment for objects that charm,

feels aversion from objects that displease,

abides without mindfulness of the body,

 and his thoughts are mean.

He realizes not, in its true nature,

that emancipation of heart,

that emancipation of wisdom,

wherein those evil,

unprofitable states that have arisen cease without remainder.

 

This monk, friends, is called 'lustful

after objects cognizable by the eye, nose, tongue…

objects cognizable by the mind’

When a monk so abides, friends,

if Māra come upon him by way of the eye,

Mara gets an opportunity.

If Māra come upon him....by way of the mind,

Māra gets access, gets opportunity.... 

                

So dwelling, friends, objects overcome a monk,

a monk overcomes not objects.

Sounds overcome a monk,

a monk overcomes not sounds.

Scents, savours, tangibles and mind-states overcome a monk,

a monk overcomes not sounds, scents, savours, tangibles and mind-states. 

 

This monk, friends, is called 'conquered by objects,

sounds, scents, savours, tangibles and mind-states,

not conquerer of them.

’ Evil, unprofitable states, passion-fraught,

leading to rebirth overcome him, 

states unhappy, whose fruit is pain,

whose future is rebirth, decay and death.

Thus, friends, one is lustful.