Appicchatā - ‘fewness of desires’

 (attached to Thoughts of a great man)

AN I

63 (3)
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing that so causes unarisen wholesome qualities to arise and arisen unwholesome qualities to decline as fewness of desires. For one with few desires, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.”

86 / 87
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing that leads to such great harm as strong desire … that leads to such great good as fewness of desires …”

102 / 103
“Among internal factors, bhikkhus, I do not see even a single factor that leads to such great harm as strong desire. Strong desire leads to great harm.”
“Among internal factors, bhikkhus, I do not see even a single factor that leads to such great good as fewness of desires. Fewness of desires leads to great good.”

118/119
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing that so leads to the continuation, non-decline, and non-disappearance of the good Dhamma as fewness of desires. Fewness of desires leads to the continuation, non-decline, and non-disappearance of the good Dhamma.”
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing that so leads to the decline and disappearance of the good Dhamma as strong desire ...

AN V

90

Again, a bhikkhu who is a trainee does not get to hear at will, without trouble or difficulty, talk concerned with the austere life that is conducive to opening up the heart, that is, talk on fewness of desires, on contentment, on solitude, on not getting bound up [with others], on arousing energy, on virtuous behavior, on concentration, on wisdom, on liberation, on the knowledge and vision of liberation; so he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.

Other things that lead to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee:

(1) “Here, a bhikkhu who is a trainee has many tasks and duties and is competent in various chores that must be done, so he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the first thing that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.
(2) “Again, a bhikkhu who is a trainee spends the day on some trifling work, so he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the second thing that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.
(3) “Again, a bhikkhu who is a trainee bonds closely with householders and monastics, socializing in an unfitting manner typical of laypeople, so he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the third thing that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.
(4) “Again, a bhikkhu who is a trainee enters a village too early and returns too late in the day, so he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the fourth thing that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.

(5) “Again, a bhikkhu who is a trainee gets to hear at will, without trouble or difficulty, talk concerned with the austere life that is conducive to opening up the heart, that is, talk on fewness of desires … on the knowledge and vision of liberation; so he does not neglect seclusion but devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This is the fifth thing that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a trainee.

181
181 Forest Dwellers

“Bhikkhus, there are these five kinds of forest dwellers. What five? (1) One who becomes a forest dweller because of his dullness and stupidity; (2) one who becomes a forest dweller because he has evil desires, because he is driven by desire; (3) one who becomes a forest dweller because he is mad and mentally deranged; (4) one who becomes a forest dweller, [thinking]: ‘It is praised by the Buddhas and the Buddhas’ disciples’; (5) and one who becomes a forest dweller for the sake of fewness of desires, for the sake of contentment, for the sake of eliminating [defilements], for the sake of solitude, for the sake of simplicity. These are the five kinds of forest dwellers. One who becomes a forest dweller for the sake of fewness of desires, for the sake of contentment, for the sake of eliminating [defilements], for the sake of solitude, for the sake of simplicity, is the foremost, the best, the preeminent, the supreme, and the finest of these five kinds of forest dwellers. (...)

AN VI

81
“Bhikkhus, possessing six qualities, one is deposited in heaven as if brought there. What six? One abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech; one has few desires, and one holds right view.

114
Fewness of desires is to be developed for abandoning strong desires.

AN VII 1 + AN VIII 3

“Bhikkhus, possessing seven qualities, a bhikkhu is pleasing and agreeable to his fellow monks and is respected and esteemed by them. What seven? [2] Here, (1) a bhikkhu is not desirous of gains, or (2) honor, or (3) a reputation; (4) he has a sense of moral shame and (5) moral dread; (6) he has few desires and (7) holds right view.
+ a bhikkhu does not praise those who are displeasing or (2) criticize those who are pleasing;

AN VIII 23

The bhikkhu then said to him:
“Friend, the Blessed One declared that you possess seven astounding and amazing qualities. What seven? ‘Bhikkhus, Hatthaka of Āḷavī is endowed with faith. He is virtuous and has a sense of moral shame and moral dread. He is learned, generous, and wise.’ The Blessed One declared that you possess these seven astounding and amazing qualities.”
“I hope, Bhante, that no white-robed layman was present?”
“No, friend. No white-robed layman was present.”
“That’s good, Bhante.”
Then that bhikkhu, having received almsfood at the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavī, rose from his seat and departed. After his meal, on returning from his alms round, he approached the Blessed One,  paid homage to him, sat down to one side, [and reported to him all that had happened].
[The Blessed One said:] “Good, good, bhikkhu! That clansman has few desires, since he does not want his inner wholesome qualities to be known by others. Therefore, bhikkhu, you should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavī as one who possesses this eighth astounding and amazing quality, that is, (8) fewness of desires.”

AN IX 1

“Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects should ask you: ‘What, friends, is the proximate cause for the development of the aids to enlightenment?’ you should answer them as follows.
(1) “‘Here, friends, a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, [352] good comrades. This is the first proximate cause for the development of the aids to enlightenment.
(2) “‘Again, friends, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. This is the second proximate cause….
(3) “‘Again, friends, a bhikkhu gets to hear at will, without trouble or difficulty, talk concerned with the austere life that is conducive to opening up the heart, that is, talk on fewness of desires, on contentment, on solitude, on not getting bound up [with others], on arousing energy, on virtuous behavior, on concentration, on wisdom, on liberation, on the knowledge and vision of liberation. This is the third proximate cause….
(4) “‘Again, friends, a bhikkhu has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and acquiring wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. This is the fourth proximate cause….

(5) “‘Again, friends, a bhikkhu is wise; he possesses the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. This is the fifth proximate cause for the development of the aids to enlightenment.’
“When, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, it can be expected of him that he will be virtuous, one who dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha … will train in them.
“When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, it can be expected of him that he will get to hear at will, without trouble or difficulty, talk concerned with the austere life that is conducive to opening up the heart, that is, talk on fewness of desires … on the knowledge and vision of liberation.
“When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, it can be expected of him that he will arouse energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities … not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities.
“When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, it can be expected of him that he will be wise, possessing the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
“Having based himself on these five things, the bhikkhu should develop further [another] four things. (6) [The perception of] unattractiveness should be developed to abandon lust. (7) Loving-kindness should be developed to abandon ill will. (8) Mindfulness of breathing should be developed to cut off thoughts. (9) The perception of impermanence should be developed to eradicate the conceit ‘I am.’ When one perceives impermanence, the perception of non-self is stabilized. One who perceives non-self eradicates the conceit ‘I am,’ [which is] nibbāna in this very life.”

AN X 69 /70

“Bhikkhus, it is not suitable for you, clansmen who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, to engage in various kinds of pointless talk, that is: talk about kings, thieves, and ministers of state … talk about becoming this or that.
“There are, bhikkhus, these ten topics of discussion. What ten? Talk on fewness of desires, on contentment, on solitude, on not being bound up with others, on arousing energy, on virtuous behavior, on concentration, on wisdom, on liberation, on knowledge and vision of liberation. These are the ten topics of discussion.
“If, bhikkhus, you engage in discussion on any of these ten topics, your splendor might surpass even the splendor of the sun and moon, as powerful and mighty as they are, how much more then that of the wanderers of other sects!”

“Bhikkhus, there are these ten grounds for praise. What ten?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is himself of few desires and speaks to the bhikkhus on fewness of desires. This is a ground for praise: ‘The bhikkhu is himself of few desires and speaks to the bhikkhus on fewness of desires.’

82
1) “It is impossible, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu without faith will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline. (2) It is impossible that an immoral bhikkhu … (3) … a bhikkhu of little learning … (4) … a bhikkhu who is difficult to correct … (5) … a bhikkhu who has bad friends … (6) … a lazy bhikkhu … (7) … a muddle-minded bhikkhu … (8) … a bhikkhu who is not content … (9) … a bhikkhu of evil desires … (10) … a bhikkhu who holds wrong view will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline. It is impossible that a bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline.
(1) “It is possible, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu endowed with faith will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline. (2) It is possible that a virtuous bhikkhu … (3) … a bhikkhu of much learning … (4) … a bhikkhu who is easy to correct … (5) … a bhikkhu who has good friends … (6) … an energetic bhikkhu … (7) … a mindful bhikkhu … (8) … a contented bhikkhu … (9) … a bhikkhu of few desires … (10) … a bhikkhu who holds right view will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline. It is possible that a bhikkhu who possesses these ten qualities will achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline.”

87
Again, a bhikkhu has few desires and he speaks in praise of the removal of desire. When a bhikkhu has few desires and he speaks in praise of the fewness of desire this is a quality that leads to affection, respect, esteem, accord, and unity.

SN
16: 5

“For a long time, venerable sir, I have been a forest dweller and have spoken in praise of forest dwelling; I have been an almsfood eater and have spoken in praise of eating almsfood; I have been a rag-robe wearer and have spoken in praise of wearing rag-robes; I have been a triple-robe user and have spoken in praise of using the triple robe; I have been of few desires and have spoken in praise of fewness of desires; I have been content and have spoken in praise of contentment; I have been secluded and have spoken in praise of solitude; I have been aloof from society and have spoken in praise of aloofness from society; I have been energetic and have spoken in praise of arousing energy.” ...

For myself I see a pleasant dwelling in this very life, and I have compassion for later generations, thinking, ‘May those of later generations follow my example!’ For when they hear, ‘The enlightened disciples of the Buddha were for a long time forest dwellers and spoke in praise of forest dwelling ...were of few desires and spoke in praise of fewness of desires… were energetic and spoke in praise of arousing energy,’ then they will practise accordingly, and that will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. ...

16: 18
The Blessed One then said to him: “Exhort the bhikkhus, Kassapa, give them a Dhamma talk. Either I should exhort the bhikkhus, Kassapa, or you should. Either I should give them a Dhamma talk or you should.”“Venerable sir, the bhikkhus are difficult to admonish now, and they have qualities which make them difficult to admonish. They are impatient and do not accept instruction respectfully.”“Just so, Kassapa, in the past the elder bhikkhus were forest dwellers and spoke in praise of forest dwelling; they were almsfood eaters and spoke in praise of eating almsfood; they were rag-robe wearers and spoke in praise of wearing rag-robes; they were triple-robe users and spoke in praise of using the triple robe; they were of few desires and spoke in praise of fewness of desires; they were content and spoke in praise of contentment; they were secluded and spoke in praise of solitude; they were aloof from society and spoke in praise of aloofness from society; they were energetic and spoke in praise of arousing energy.“

Then, when a bhikkhu was a forest dweller and spoke in praise of forest dwelling … [209] … when he was energetic and spoke in praise of arousing energy, the elder bhikkhus would invite him to a seat, saying: ‘Come, bhikkhu. What is this bhikkhu’s name? This is an excellent bhikkhu. This bhikkhu is keen on training. Come, bhikkhu, here’s a seat, sit down.’ Then it would occur to the newly ordained bhikkhus: ‘It seems that when a bhikkhu is a forest dweller and speaks in praise of forest dwelling ... when he is energetic and speaks in praise of arousing energy, the elder bhikkhus invite him to a seat….’ They would practise accordingly, and that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.

“But now, Kassapa, the elder bhikkhus are no longer forest dwellers and do not speak in praise of forest dwelling …  … they are no longer energetic and do not speak in praise of arousing energy. Now it is the bhikkhu who is well known and famous, one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites, that the elder bhikkhus invite to a seat, saying: ‘Come, bhikkhu. What is this bhikkhu’s name? This is an excellent bhikkhu. This bhikkhu is keen on the company of his brothers in the holy life. Come, bhikkhu, here’s a seat, sit down.’

Then it occurs to the newly ordained bhikkhus: ‘It seems that when a bhikkhu is well known and famous, one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites, the elder bhikkhus invite him to a seat….’ They practise accordingly, and that leads to their harm and suffering for a long time.“If, Kassapa, one speaking rightly could say: ‘Those leading the holy life have been ruined by the ruination of those who lead the holy life; those leading the holy life have been vanquished by the vanquishing of those who lead the holy life,’ it is just thus that one could rightly say this.”

MN 3

“Now, bhikkhus, suppose that I had eaten, refused more food, had my fill, finished, had enough, had what I needed, and some almsfood was left over to be thrown away. Then two bhikkhus arrived hungry and weak, and I told them: ‘Bhikkhus, I have eaten…had what I needed, but there is this almsfood of mine left over to be thrown away. Eat if you like; if you do not eat then I shall throw it away where there is no greenery or drop it into water where there is no life.’

Then one bhikkhu thought: ‘The Blessed One has eaten…had what he needed, but there is this almsfood of the Blessed One left over to be thrown away; if we do not eat it the Blessed One will throw it away…But this has been said by the Blessed One: “Bhikkhus, be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things.” Now this almsfood is one of the material things. Suppose that instead of eating this almsfood I pass the night and day hungry and weak.’ And instead of eating that almsfood he passed that night and day hungry and weak. Then the second bhikkhu thought: ‘The Blessed One has eaten…had what he needed, but there is this almsfood of the Blessed One left over to be thrown away…Suppose that I eat this almsfood and pass the night and day neither hungry nor weak.’ And after eating that almsfood he passed the night and day neither hungry nor weak. Now although that bhikkhu by eating that almsfood passed the night and day neither hungry nor weak, yet the first bhikkhu is more to be respected and commended by me. Why is that? Because that will for long conduce to his fewness of wishes, contentment, effacement, easy support, and arousal of energy. Therefore, bhikkhus, be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things. Out of compassion for you I have thought: ‘How shall my disciples be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things?’”