1"Bhikkhus, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī desire or lust or hatred or delusion or aversion of mind should arise in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, such a one should rein in the mind from them thus: [n.211] Apart from SN 5, references to bhikkhunīs are rare in SN, but see SN35.231 above. The five defilements are also at MN III 294–95. Spk: Desire (chanda) is freshly arisen weak craving (taṇhā), lust (rāga) is repeatedly arisen strong craving. Similarly, hatred (dosa) is freshly arisen weak anger (kodha), aversion (paṇigha) is repeatedly arisen strong anger. The five terms incorporate the three unwholesome roots, and when these are included, all the subsidiary defilements are included. The five terms also imply the twelve unwholesome cittas (of the Abhidhamma—see CMA 1:4–7). ‘This path is fearful, dangerous, strewn with thorns, covered by jungle, a deviant path, an evil path, a way beset by scarcity. [n.212] Duhitika. Spk analyses this word as du-ihiti-ka, ihiti being synonymous with iriyana, "moving, faring": Ettha ihitı̄ ti iriyanā; dukkhā ihiti etthā ti duhitiko (verbal analysis). Along whatever path there is no food or refreshments such as roots and fruits, the faring there is difficult; one cannot fare on it to reach one's destination. Similarly, one cannot reach success by faring along the path of defilements, thus the path of defilements is duhitika.
The correct derivation of duhitika, apparently lost by the time of the commentators, is from du-hita. See the discussion below at n. 347, and see too MW, s.v. dur-hita, and its antonym, su-hita. This is a path followed by inferior people; it is not the path followed by superior people. This is not for you.’ In this way the mind should be reined in from these states regarding forms cognizable by the eye. So too regarding sounds cognizable by the ear … regarding mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.

2"Suppose, bhikkhus, that the barley has ripened and the watchman is negligent. If a bull fond of barley enters the barley field, he might indulge himself as much as he likes. sn.iv.196 So too, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling who does not exercise restraint over the six bases for contact indulges himself as much as he likes in the five cords of sensual pleasure. [n.213] I follow Se and Ee, which do not include pamādaṃ āpajjeyya/āpajjati, found in Be. Spk: Just as the owner of the crops fails to gain the fruits of the harvest when, due to the watchman's negligence, the bull eats the barley, so when the mind is separated from the mindfulness that guards the six sense doors, it enjoys the five cords of sensual pleasure; then, because his wholesome qualities are destroyed, the bhikkhu fails to attain the fruits of asceticism.

3"Suppose, bhikkhus, that the barley has ripened and the watchman is vigilant. If a bull fond of barley enters the barley field, the watchman would catch hold of him firmly by the muzzle. While holding him firmly by the muzzle, he would get a secure grip on the locks between his horns and, keeping him in check there, would give him a sound beating with his staff. After giving him that beating, he would drive the bull away. This might happen a second time and a third time. Thus that bull fond of barley, whether he has gone to the village or the forest, whether he is accustomed to standing or to sitting, remembering the previous beating he got from the staff, would not enter that barley field again.

"So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu's mind has been subdued, well subdued, [n.214] Be: udujitaṁ hoti sudujitaṁ; Se: udujjitaṁ hoti sudujjitaṁ; Ee: ujujātaṁ hoti saṁmujujātaṁ. Spk glosses with tajjitaṁ, sutajjitaṁ, and says the meaning is sujitaṁ, "well conquered," udu and sudu being mere indeclinables (nipātamatta). Possibly all texts are corrupted here. Spk says that at this point the Buddha has discussed the guarding of serenity and the virtue of restraint of the sense faculties (samathānurakkhaṇa-indriyasṃvarası̄la). regarding the six bases for contact, it then becomes inwardly steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

4"Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a king or a royal minister who had never before heard the sound of a lute. He might hear the sound of a lute and say: ‘Good man, what is making this sound—so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, sn.iv.197 so entrancing, so enthralling?’ They would say to him: ‘Sire, it is a lute that is making this sound—so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling.’ He would reply: ‘Go, man, bring me that lute.’

"They would bring him the lute and tell him: ‘Sire, this is that lute, the sound of which was so tantalizing, so lovely, so intoxicating, so entrancing, so enthralling.’ The king would say: ‘I’ve had enough with this lute, man. Bring me just that sound.’ The men would reply: ‘This lute, sire, consists of numerous components, of a great many components, and it gives off a sound when it is played upon with its numerous components; that is, in dependence on the parchment sounding board, the belly, the arm, the head, the strings, the plectrum, and the appropriate effort of the musician. [n.215] The Pali terms for the parts of the lute (vīṇā) are: camma, doṇi, daṇḍa, upavīṇa, tanti, koṇa. The simile occurs at Mil 53, inclusive of the list of terms (preceded by patta, sling). In translating the names of the parts I follow Horner, at Milinda's Questions, SN1.74, who bases her renderings on A.K. Coomaraswamy, "The Parts of a Vīṇā" (Journal of the American Oriental Society, 50.3). So it is, sire, that this lute consisting of numerous components, of a great many components, gives off a sound when it is played upon with its numerous components.’

"The king would split the lute into ten or a hundred pieces, then he would reduce these to splinters. Having reduced them to splinters, he would burn them in a fire and reduce them to ashes, and he would winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. Then he would say: ‘A poor thing, indeed sir, is this so-called lute, as well as anything else called a lute. How the multitude are utterly heedless about it, utterly taken in by it!’ [n.216] I read with Be: Asatı̄ kir’ āyaṁ bho vı̄ṇā nāma, yath’ evaṃ yaṃ kiñci vı̄ṇā nāma, ettha ca pan’ āyaṃ jano ativelaṃ pamatto palaḷito. Se differs only in the v.l. palaḷito, but Ee differs more widely. The exact meaning is obscure. Spk glosses asati with lamika and paraphrases: "It is not only the lute that is a poor thing, but like this so-called lute, whatever else is bound with strings—all that is just a poor thing."

"So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu investigates form to the extent that there is a range for form, he investigates feeling to the extent that there is a range for feeling, he investigates perception to the extent that there is a range for perception, he investigates volitional formations to the extent that there is a range for volitional formations, he investigates consciousness to the extent that there is a range for consciousness. sn.iv.198 As he investigates form to the extent that there is a range for form … consciousness to the extent that there is a range for consciousness, whatever notions of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ had occurred to him before no longer occur to him." [n.217] Spk: The five aggregates are like the lute, the meditator is like the king. As the king did not find any sound in the lute even after splitting it up and searching, and therefore lost interest in the lute, so the meditator, exploring the five aggregates, does not see any graspable "I" or "mine" and therefore loses interest in the aggregates. By the terms "I" or "mine" or "I am" in regard to form, etc., the three "grips" of views, craving, and conceit are respectively described. These do not exist in the arahant.
There is an important difference between the king and the meditator, not conveyed either by sutta or commentary: In the parable the king, looking for the sound of the lute by taking the instrument apart, seems foolish, while the meditator, dissecting the aggregates to dispel the delusion of a self, becomes wise.
Spk ends its commentary on the sutta with a quotation from the Great Commentary (Maha-atṭ̣hakathā, no longer extant):
    In the beginning virtue is discussed,
    In the middle, development of concentration,
    And at the end, Nibbāna:
    The Simile of the Lute is thus composed.”

1"Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso, tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye cakkhuviññeyyehi rūpehi … pe … yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu … pe … manoviññeyyesu dhammesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye manoviññeyyehi dhammehi.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ. Kiṭṭhārakkho ca pamatto, goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otaritvā yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjeyya pamādaṁ āpajjeyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano chasu phassāyatanesu asaṁvutakārī pañcasu kāmaguṇesu yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati.

3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho ca appamatto goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave … pe … tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo gāmagato vā araññagato vā, ṭhānabahulo vā assa nisajjabahulo vā na taṁ kiṭṭhaṁ puna otareyya – tameva purimaṁ daṇḍasamphassaṁ samanussaranto.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yato kho bhikkhuno chasu phassāyatanesu cittaṁ udujitaṁ hoti sudujitaṁ, ajjhattameva santiṭṭhati, sannisīdati, ekodi hoti, samādhiyati.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā vīṇāya saddo assutapubbo assa. So vīṇāsaddaṁ suṇeyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ambho, kassa nu kho eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti? Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘esā, kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma, yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha me, bho, taṁ vīṇaṁ āharathā’ti.

Tassa taṁ vīṇaṁ āhareyyuṁ. Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘Ayaṁ kho sā, bhante, vīṇā yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘alaṁ me, bho, tāya vīṇāya, tameva me saddaṁ āharathā’ti. Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘Ayaṁ kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadati, seyyathidaṁ – doṇiñca paṭicca cammañca paṭicca daṇḍañca paṭicca upadhāraṇe ca paṭicca tantiyo ca paṭicca koṇañca paṭicca purisassa ca tajjaṁ vāyāmaṁ paṭicca evāyaṁ, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadatī’ti.

So taṁ vīṇaṁ dasadhā vā satadhā vā phāleyya, dasadhā vā satadhā vā taṁ phāletvā sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ kareyya. Sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ karitvā agginā ḍaheyya, agginā ḍahitvā masiṁ kareyya. Masiṁ karitvā mahāvāte vā ophuneyya, nadiyā vā sīghasotāya pavāheyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asatī kirāyaṁ, bho, vīṇā nāma, yathevaṁ yaṁ kiñci vīṇā nāma ettha ca panāyaṁ jano ativelaṁ pamatto palaḷito’ti.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpaṁ samanvesati yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanāṁ samanvesati yāvatā vedanāya gati, saññaṁ samanvesati yāvatā saññāya gati, saṅkhāre samanvesati yāvatā saṅkhārānaṁ gati, viññāṇaṁ samanvesati yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. Tassa rūpaṁ samanvesato yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanāṁ samanvesato … pe … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ samanvesato yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. Yampissa taṁ hoti ahanti vā mamanti vā asmīti vā tampi tassa na hotī"ti.

Navamaṁ.