​MN 66 Latukikopama Sutta: The Simile of the Quail 

Thus have i heard. 

On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the country of the Anguttarapans at a town of theirs named Apana. In the morning, the Blessed One got dressed, took his bowl and outer robe, went into Apana for alms. After he had returned from his alms round, after his meal he went to a certain grove for the day's abiding. Having entered the grove, he sat down at the root of a tree for the day's abiding.

In the morning, the venerable Udayin dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he too went into Apana for alms. After he had returned from his alms round, after his meal he went to that same grove for the day's abiding. Having entered the grove, he sat down at the root of a tree for the day's abiding. Then, while the venerable Udayin was alone in meditation, the following thought arose in his mind: "How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many pleasant states has the Blessed One brought us! How many unwholesome states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!"

When it was in the evening, venerable Udayin rose from meditation, went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and told him: "Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in meditation, the following thought arose in my mind: 'How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of!...How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!' Venerable sir, formerly we used to eat in the evening, in the morning, and during the day outside the proper time. Then there was an occasion when the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: 'Bhikkhus, please abandon that daytime meal outside the proper time.' Venerable sir, I was upset and sad, thinking: 'Faithful householders give us good food of various kinds during the day outside the proper time, yet the Blessed One tells us to abandon it, the Sublime One tells us to relinquish it.' Out of our love and respect for the Blessed One, and out of shame and fear of wrongdoing, we abandoned that daytime meal outside the proper time."

"Then we ate only in the evening and in the morning. Then there was an occasion when the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: 'Bhikkhus, please abandon that night meal, which is outside the proper time.' Venerable sir, I was upset and sad, thinking: 'The Blessed One tells us to abandon the more sumptuous of our two meals, the Sublime One tells us to relinquish it.' Once, venerable sir, a certain man had obtained some soup during the day and he said: 'Put that aside and we will all eat it together in the evening.'Most of all cooking is done at night, little by day. Out of our love and respect for the Blessed One, and out of shame and fear of wrongdoing, we abandoned that night meal, which was outside the proper time. "

"It has happened, venerable sir, that bhikkhus wandering for alms in the thick darkness of the night have walked into a cesspit, fallen into a sewer, walked into a thorn-bush, and fallen over a sleeping cow; they have met hooligans who had already committed a crime and those planning one, and they have been sexually enticed by women. Once, venerable sir, I went wandering for alms in the thick darkness of the night. A woman washing a pot saw me by a flash of lightning and screamed out in terror: 'Mercy me, a devil has come for me!' I told her: 'Sister, I am no devil, I am a bhikkhu waiting for alms.' She said: 'Then you are a bhikkhu whose mother has died and whose father has died! It is better for you bhikkhu, that you get your belly cut open with a sharp butcher's knife than this prowling for alms for your belly's sake in the thick darkness of the night!' Venerable sir, when I recollected that I thought: 'How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many pleasant states has the Blessed One brought us! How many unwholesome states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!'" 

Buddha:​ "So too, Udayin, there are certain misguided men here who, when told by me 'Abandon this,' they say: 'What, such a mere trifle, such a little thing as this? This recluse is much too exacting!' And they do not abandon that and they show discourtesy towards me as well as towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. For them that's a strong snare, a thick snare, a heavy snare, an unrotting snare, and a thick yoke."

"Suppose, Udayin, a quail were tethered by a rotting creeper and it would expect injury, captivity, or death. Now suppose someone said: 'The rotting creeper by which that quail is tethered and thereby expects injury, captivity, or death, is for her a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether.' Would he be speaking rightly?"
Udayin: "No, venerable sir. For that quail the rotting creeper by which she is tethered and thereby expects injury, captivity, or death, is a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke."
Buddha: "So too, Udayin there are certain misguided men here who, when told by me 'Abandon this'.. .do not abandon that and they show discourtesy towards me as well as towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. For them that thing becomes a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke."

"Udayin, there are certain clansmen here who, when told by me 'Abandon this' they say: 'What, such a mere trifle, such a little thing to be abandoned as this, the Blessed One tells us to abandon, the Sublime One tells us to relinquish.' Yet they abandon that and do not show discourtesy towards me or towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. Having abandoned it, they live at ease, unruffled, subsisting on others' gifts, with mind as aloof as a wild deer's. For them that thing becomes a feeble, weak, rotting, core-less tether."

"Suppose, Udayin, a royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot-poles, full-grown in stature, high-bred and accustomed to battle, were tethered by stout leather thongs, but by simply twisting his body a little he could break and burst the thongs and then go where he likes. Now suppose someone said: 'The stout leather thongs by which this royal tusker elephant is tethered...are for him a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke.' Would he be speaking rightly?" "
Udayin:" No, venerable sir. The stout leather thongs by which that royal tusker elephant is tethered, which by simply twisting his body a little he could break and burst and then go where he likes, are for him a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether." ​

​"So too, Udayin, there are certain clansmen here who, when told by me 'Abandon this'...abandon that and do not show discourtesy towards me or towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. Having abandoned it, they live at ease, unruffled, subsisting on others' gifts, with mind as aloof as a wild deer's. For them that thing becomes a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether. "

"Suppose, Udayin, there were a poor, penniless, destitute man, and he had one dilapidated shack open to the crows, not the best kind, and one dilapidated bed, not the best kind, and some grain and pumpkin seeds in a pot, not the best kind, and a wife, not the best kind. He might see a bhikkhu in a monastery park sitting in the shade of a tree, his hands and feet well washed after he had eaten a delicious meal, devoting himself to the higher mind. He might think: 'How pleasant the recluse's state is! How healthy the recluse's state is! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness!' But being unable to abandon his one dilapidated shack,his one dilapidated bed, his grain and pumpkin seeds, and his wife, he is unable to shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness. Now suppose someone said: 'The tethers by which that man is tethered so that he cannot abandon his belongings, and shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness - for him those are a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether.' Would he be speaking rightly?"

Udayin: "No, venerable sir. The tethers by which that man is tethered so that he cannot abandon his belongings, and shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness - for him those are a strong, stout, tough, un-rotting tether and a thick yoke."
Buddha: "So too, Udayin, there are certain misguided men here who, when told by me 'Abandon this'...do not abandon that and they show discourtesy towards me as well as towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. For them that thing becomes a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke. "

​"Suppose, Udayin, there were a rich householder or a householder's son with great wealth and property, with a vast number of gold ingots, a vast number of granaries, a vast number of fields, a vast amount of land, a vast number of wives, and a vast number of men and women slaves. He might see a bhikkhu in a monastery park sitting in the shade of a tree, his hands and feet well washed after he had eaten a delicious meal, devoting himself to the higher mind. He might think: 'How pleasant the recluse's state is! How healthy the recluse's state is! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness!' And being able to abandon his vast wealth, property, wives and slaves, he is able to shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness. Now suppose someone said: 'The tethers by which that householder or householder's son is tethered so that he can abandon his vast wealth and property, and shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness for him those are a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether.' Would he be speaking rightly?"

Udayin: "No, venerable sir. The tethers by which that householder or householder's son is tethered so that he can abandon his wealth and property, and shave off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness - for him those are a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether."
Buddha: "So too, Udayin, there are certain clansmen here who, when told by me 'Abandon this'...abandon that and do not show discourtesy towards me or towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. Having abandoned it, they live at ease, unruffled, subsisting on others' gifts, with mind as aloof as a wild deer's. For them that thing becomes a feeble, weak, rotting, core-less tether. "

"Udayin, there are four kinds of persons to be found existing in the world. What are the four?"
 
1. Here, Udayin, some person practices the way to the abandoning of attachment, to the relinquishing of attachment.When he is practicing the way, memories and intentions associated with attachment beset him. He tolerates them; he does not abandon them, remove them and annihilate them. Such a person I call fettered, not unfettered. Why is that? Because I have known the particular diversity of faculties in this person.

​2. Here, Udayin, some person practices the way to the abandoning of attachment, to the relinquishing of attachment. When he is practicing the way, memories and intentions associated with attachment beset him. He does not tolerate them; he abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and annihilates them. Such a person too I call fettered, not unfettered. Why is that? Because I have known the particular diversity of faculties in this person.

3. Here, Udayin, some person practices the way to the abandoning of attachment, to the relinquishing of attachment. When he is practicing the way, memories and intentions associated with attachment beset him now and then through lapses of mindfulness. His mindfulness may be slow in arising, but he quickly abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and annihilates them. Just as if a man were to let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron plate heated for a whole day, the falling of the water drops might be slow but they would quickly vaporize and vanish. So too, here some person practices the way...His mindfulness may be slow in arising, but he quickly abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and annihilates them. Such a person too I call fettered, not unfettered. Why is that? Because I have known the particular diversity of faculties in this person.

4. Here, Udayin, some person, having understood that attachment is the root of suffering, divests himself of attachment and is liberated with the destruction of attachment. Such a person I call unfettered, not fettered. Why is that? Because I have known the particular diversity of faculties in this person.
​
"There are, Udayin, five cords of sensual pleasure. What are the five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and like-able, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear...Odours ​cognizable by the nose...Flavours cognizable by the tongue... Tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure."

 "Now, Udayin, the pleasure and joy that arise dependent on these five cords of sensual pleasure are called sensual pleasure - a filthy pleasure, a coarse pleasure, an ignoble pleasure. I say of this kind of pleasure that it should not be pursued, that it should not be developed, that it should not be cultivated, that it should be feared."

"Here, Udayin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana...With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhana.. .With the fading away as well of rapture.. .he enters upon and abides in the third jhana...With the abandoning of pleasure and pain.. .he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana... This is called the bliss of renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment. I say of this kind of pleasure that it should be pursued, that it should be developed, that it should be cultivated, that it should not be feared."

"Here, Udayin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana...Now this, I say, belongs to the perturbable. And what therein belongs to the perturbable? The applied thought and sustained thought that have not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable. With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhana.. .Now this, I say, also belongs to the perturbable. And what therein belongs to the perturbable? The rapture and pleasure that have not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable. With the fading away as well of rapture...a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the third jhana...Now this, I say, also belongs to the perturbable. And what therein belongs to the perturbable? The equanimity and pleasure that have not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain...a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana... Now this, I say, belongs to the imperturbable. "

"Here, Udayin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana...That, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhana...That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? With the fading away as well of rapture...a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the third jhana...That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? With the abandoning of pleasure and pain...a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana... That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?"

"Here, Udayin, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? By completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite consciousness. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? By completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of nothingness. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? By completely surmounting the base of nothingness, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it? By completely surmounting the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the cessation of perception and feeling. That surmounts it. Thus I speak of the abandoning even of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Do you see, Udayin, any fetter, small or great, of whose abandoning I do not speak?"

Udayin: "No, venerable sir." 
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Udayin was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words. 

In summary, Udāyī recalled the rules set by the Buddha with regards to the hours for meals, how such rules were added to, until, in the end, any meal out of hours was forbidden. Then he mentioned how initially these rules involved hardship but in the end by following the rules it was very helpful in dispelling unhappy states of consciousness and in implanting happy ones. The Buddha agreed and added that many people are ignorant and consider such sacrifices insignificant and were discontented when told to comply. But this insignificant thing develops into a bond strong enough to hold them fast. Some people are like quails caught in traps, unable to escape from their bonds, others like mighty elephants, bursting their bonds and going where they wish.

​Then Buddha illustrated the four types of individuals, differing according as to whether they are attached to their bonds or detached from them. He also mentioned the five cords of sensual pleasure which one should not be attached to. He described how by letting go of each step of the way from pleasures of the senses through each of the jhanas to the ending of perceiving experience. He concluded the importance of abandoning all fetters, no matter how harmless and trifling they may seem. ​

References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The middle length discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)