old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

The Buddha spoke gently to her, “Beauty arises and passes away like all other phenomena. Fame and fortune are no different. Only the
peace, joy, and freedom that are the fruits of meditation bring true happiness. Ambapali, cherish and take good care of all the moments left
to you in this life. Do not lose yourself in forgetfulness or idle amusements. This is of utmost importance.”
The Buddha told Ambapali how she could arrange her daily life in a new way—breathing, sitting, and working in a spirit of mindfulness,
and observing and practicing the five precepts. She was overjoyed to receive these precious teachings. Before departing, she said, “Just
outside the city of Vesali, I own a mango grove that is both cool and peaceful. I hope that you and your bhikkhus might consider coming
there for a visit. That would be a great honor to me and to my son. Please, Lord Buddha, consider my invitation.”
The Buddha smiled his acceptance.
After Ambapali departed, Kaludayi asked permission to sit down beside the Buddha. Nagasamala invited Sariputta to sit on the other
chair while he remained standing. A number of other bhikkhus passing by the hut, paused and joined the gathering. Sariputta looked at
Kaludayi and smiled. He looked at Nagasamala and smiled too. Then he asked the Buddha, “Master, how should a monk regard a
woman’s beauty? Is beauty, especially that of a woman, an obstacle to spiritual practice?”
The Buddha smiled. He knew that Sariputta was not asking the question for himself but on behalf of the other bhikkhus. He answered,
“Bhikkhus, the true nature of all dharmas transcends beauty and ugliness. Beauty and ugliness are only concepts created by our minds.
They are inseparably entwined with the structure of the five aggregates. To the eyes of an artist, anything can appear beautiful and anything
can be rendered as ugly. A river, a cloud, a leaf, a flower, a ray of sunshine, or a golden afternoon all possess beauty. The golden bamboo
growing nearby us is beautiful. But perhaps no beauty has more capacity to distract a man’s concentration than a woman’s beauty. If one is
obsessed with a woman’s beauty, he can lose his way.
“Bhikkhus, when you have seen deeply and have attained the Way, the beautiful may still appear beautiful and the ugly may still appear
ugly, but because you have attained liberation, you are not bound by either. When a liberated person looks at beauty, he can see that it is
composed of many non-beautiful elements. Such a person understands the impermanent and empty nature of all things, including beauty and
ugliness. Thus he is neither mesmerized by beauty nor repulsed by ugliness.
“The only kind of beauty that does not fade and that does not cause suffering is a compassionate and liberated heart. Compassion is the
ability to love unconditionally, demanding nothing in return. A liberated heart is unbound by conditions. A compassionate and liberated heart
is true beauty. The peace and joy of that beauty is true peace and joy. Bhikkhus, practice diligently and you will realize true beauty.”