10 comparisons to attachment to sense desires
The ten comparisons made to what attachment to sense desire is like:
1. A skeleton whose bare bones do nothing to feed the hunger of a dog
2. A piece of raw flesh which two birds are fighting over and one may die from the fight
3. A burning torch that is about to burn the hand of the person holding the torch
4. A pit of burning charcoal that we may be pushed into
5. A poisonous snake which might attack us at any given moment
6. A dream
7. Borrowed possessions, of no lasting value
8. A tree laden with fruit that perishes as people grab for the fruit, breaking the branches
9. An impaling stick
10. A slaughterhouse where lives are lost
(from Majjhima Nikaya 22)
Note that a piece of flesh is used as a comparison to the attachment to sense desires and more importantly a slaughterhouse where animals are killed for meat (numbers 2 and 10 above).
References
- The Complete Book of Buddha's Lists -- Explained. David N. Snyder, Ph.D., 2006.
- http://www.thedhamma.com/