Upādāna – Grasping

This is part 14 of a course going through the similes and metaphors of the Buddha. Course home 1: Introduction to Imagery in the EBTs2: Taṇhā — Craving3: Rāga — Passion4: Vyāpāda — Hatred and Aversion5: Thīnamiddha — Sloth and Torpor6: Uddhaccakukkuca — Restlessness and Worry7: Vicikicchā — Doubt8: Vedanā — Feelings9: Vedanānupassanā — Investigating Feelings10: Sukha — Happiness11: Upekkhā — Equanimity12: Yathābhūtañāṇadassana — Knowledge and Vision of the Way Things Are13: Vimutti — Liberation14: Upādāna – Grasping15: Sakkāyadiṭṭhi - Self View16: Sammādiṭṭhi - Right View17: Saṅkhāra — Activity18: Vitakka — Thought19: Yoniso Manasikāra — Wise Attention20: Vipassanā — Insight21: Samatha & Vipassanā — Tranquility & Insight22: Samādhi — Immersion23: Viveka — Seclusion24: Vossagga — Letting Go25: Suññatā — Emptiness26: Conclusion

Illustration by Ayya Vimalayani aka "Ven Yodha"

We grasp to the limited things of the world out of fear of falling, not realizing that it's the attachment that is hurting us.

Textbook

Read Chapter 1 of:

From Grasping to Emptiness: Excursions into the Thought-world of the Pāli Discourses Volume 2 – Bhikkhu Anālayo (.pdf)

Having now finished Excursions volume 1, we are halfway through our course and ready to move on to Excursions volume 2. Congratulations on making it this far!

Suttas

Ud 8.8: Visāka (.pdf)

Snp 4.2: The Eight on the Body as a Cave (.pdf)

SN 17.2 Baḷisa Sutta: The Hook (.pdf)

Similes

Hecker similes: 2, 5, 10 and 13.

Reflections

How do these suttas encourage us to relate to fear?

Continue to Part 15, Sakkāyadiṭṭhi - Self View

...or go back to part 13