"The eye is not the fetter of forms, nor are forms the fetter of the eye. Whatever desire & passion arises in dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds... The nose is not the fetter of aromas... The tongue is not the fetter of flavors... The body is not the fetter of tactile sensations... The intellect is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the intellect. Whatever desire & passion arises in dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there." -- Buddha, SN 35.191 (PTS: S IV 162) 

"My son, we are not bound by appearances; we are bound by our clinging to them." - Tilopa to Naropa

"The five senses arising with their objects are unimpeded radiance.
What is born from not grasping at objects is the unborn basic state.
Attachment to appearances may be unceasing but reverse it: meditate naturally settled.
Empty appearances arising free from the intellect is the path of natural expressions.
Do not see appearances as problems, let go of clinging.
There will come a time when you will arrive in the valley of one taste meditation." - Yang Gönpa
 
 
 
 
update: for further reading, read these three suttas.

Astus: There is no consciousness apart from the aggregates (SN 22.53). It's not appearances but clinging that causes suffering (SN 35.191), and when there is no clinging, nirvana is attained in this life (SN 35.118). - https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=36909&p=587939&hilit=CLINGING#p587939


To Koṭṭhita

Koṭṭhita Sutta  (SN 35:191)

NavigationSuttas/SN/35:191

Once, Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita were

staying near Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then Ven. Mahā

Koṭṭhita, in the evening, left his seclusion and went to Ven. Sāriputta.

On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an

exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As

he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, “Now tell me, friend

Sāriputta, is the eye the fetter of forms, or are forms the fetter of

the eye? Is the ear… Is the nose… Is the tongue… Is the body… Is the

intellect the fetter of ideas, or are ideas the fetter of the

intellect?”

“No, my friend. The eye is not the fetter of forms, nor

are forms the fetter of the eye. Whatever desire-passion arises in

dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not

the fetter of sounds… The nose is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue

is not the fetter of flavors… The body is not the fetter of tactile

sensations… The intellect is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the

fetter of the intellect. Whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on

the two of them: That is the fetter there.

“Suppose that a black ox and a white ox were joined

with a single collar or yoke. If someone were to say, ‘The black ox is

the fetter of the white ox, the white ox is the fetter of the

black’—speaking this way, would he be speaking rightly?”

“No, my friend. The black ox is not the fetter of the

white ox, nor is the white ox the fetter of the black. The single collar

or yoke by which they are joined: That is the fetter there.”

“In the same way, the eye is not the fetter of forms,

nor are forms the fetter of the eye. Whatever desire-passion arises in

dependence on the two of them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not

the fetter of sounds…The nose is not the fetter of aromas…The tongue is

not the fetter of flavors…The body is not the fetter of tactile

sensations… The intellect is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the

fetter of the intellect. Whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on

the two of them: That is the fetter there.

“If the eye were the fetter of forms, or if forms were

the fetter of the eye, then this holy life for the right ending of

stress & suffering would not be proclaimed. But because whatever

desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them is the fetter

there, that is why this holy life for the right ending of stress &

suffering is proclaimed.

“If the ear were the fetter…

“If the nose were the fetter…

“If the tongue were the fetter…

“If the body were the fetter…

“If the intellect were the fetter of ideas, or if ideas

were the fetter of the intellect, then this holy life for the right

ending of stress & suffering would not be proclaimed. But because

whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them is the

fetter there, that is why this holy life for the right ending of stress

& suffering is proclaimed.

“And through this line of reasoning one may know how

the eye is not the fetter of forms, nor are forms the fetter of the eye,

but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them:

That is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds… The nose

is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue is not the fetter of flavors…

The body is not the fetter of tactile sensations… The intellect is not

the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the intellect, but

whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them: That is

the fetter there. There is an eye in the Blessed One. The Blessed One

sees forms with the eye. There is no desire or passion in the Blessed

One. The Blessed One is well released in mind.

“There is an ear in the Blessed One…

“There is a nose in the Blessed One…

“There is a tongue in the Blessed One…

“There is a body in the Blessed One…

“There is an intellect in the Blessed One. The Blessed

One knows ideas with the intellect. There is no desire or passion in the

Blessed One. The Blessed One is well released in mind.

“It is through this line of reasoning that one may know

how the eye is not the fetter of forms, nor are forms the fetter of the

eye, but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of

them: That is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds… The

nose is not the fetter of aromas… The tongue is not the fetter of

flavors… The body is not the fetter of tactile sensations… The intellect

is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the intellect,

but whatever desire-passion arises in dependence on the two of them:

That is the fetter there.”

See also: SN 22:48; SN 27:1–10

  • Linked Discourses 22

  • 6. Involvement

53. Involvement

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, if you’re involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.

As

long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with form,

supported by form, founded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it

would grow, increase, and mature.

Or consciousness would remain involved with feeling …

Or consciousness would remain involved with perception …

Or

as long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with

choices, supported by choices, grounded on choices. And with a sprinkle

of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Mendicants, suppose you say: ‘Apart

from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming

and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its

growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element …

perception element …

choices element …

consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness. Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, with no power to regenerate, it is freed.

Being

free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re

not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.

They

understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been

completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any

state of existence.’”

Linked Discourses 35

  • 12. The World and the Kinds of Sensual Stimulation

118. The Question of Sakka

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. And then Sakka, lord of gods, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason why some sentient beings aren’t fully extinguished in the present life? What is the cause, what is the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in the present life?”

“Lord of gods, there are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished.

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished. That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings aren’t fully extinguished in the present life.

There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished.

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished. That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in the present life.”

Good video by Angelo Gerangelo