Evaṃ me sutaṃ— ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṃ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṃ etadavoca— “dīgharattāhaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā evaṃ dhammaṃ desitaṃ ājānāmi— ‘lobho cittassa upakkileso, doso cittassa upakkileso, moho cittassa upakkileso’ti. Evañcāhaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṃ desitaṃ ājānāmi— ‘lobho cittassa upakkileso, doso cittassa upakkileso, moho cittassa upakkileso’ti. Atha ca pana me ekadā lobhadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, dosadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, mohadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Tassa mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti— ‘kosu nāma me dhammo ajjhattaṃ appahīno yena me ekadā lobhadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, dosadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, mohadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhantī’”ti.

“So eva kho te, mahānāma, dhammo ajjhattaṃ appahīno yena te ekadā lobhadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, dosadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti, mohadhammāpi cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. So ca hi te, mahānāma, dhammo ajjhattaṃ pahīno abhavissa, na tvaṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvaseyyāsi, na kāme paribhuñjeyyāsi. Yasmā ca kho te, mahānāma, so eva dhammo ajjhattaṃ appahīno tasmā tvaṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvasasi, kāme paribhuñjasi.

‘Appassādā kāmā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti— iti cepi, mahānāma, ariyasāvakassa yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṃ hoti, so ca aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṃ nādhigacchati, aññaṃ vā tato santataraṃ; atha kho so neva tāva anāvaṭṭī kāmesu hoti. Yato ca kho, mahānāma, ariyasāvakassa ‘appassādā kāmā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti— evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṃ hoti, so ca aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṃ adhigacchati aññaṃ vā tato santataraṃ; atha kho so anāvaṭṭī kāmesu hoti.

Mayhampi kho, mahānāma, pubbeva sambodhā, anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato, ‘appassādā kāmā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti— evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṃ hoti, so ca aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṃ nājjhagamaṃ, aññaṃ vā tato santataraṃ; atha khvāhaṃ neva tāva anāvaṭṭī kāmesu paccaññāsiṃ. Yato ca kho me, mahānāma, ‘appassādā kāmā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti— evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṃ ahosi, so ca aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṃ ajjhagamaṃ, aññaṃ vā tato santataraṃ; athāhaṃ anāvaṭṭī kāmesu paccaññāsiṃ.

Ko ca, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ assādo? Pañcime, mahānāma, kāmaguṇā. Katame pañca? Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṃhitā rajanīyā; sotaviññeyyā saddā…pe… ghānaviññeyyā gandhā… jivhāviññeyyā rasā… kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṃhitā rajanīyā— ime kho, mahānāma, pañca kāmaguṇā. Yaṃ kho, mahānāma, ime pañca kāmaguṇe paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṃ somanassaṃ— ayaṃ kāmānaṃ assādo.

Ko ca, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo? Idha, mahānāma, kulaputto yena sippaṭṭhānena jīvikaṃ kappeti— yadi muddāya yadi gaṇanāya yadi saṅkhānena yadi kasiyā yadi vaṇijjāya yadi gorakkhena yadi issatthena yadi rājaporisena yadi sippaññatarena, sītassa purakkhato uṇhassa purakkhato ḍaṃsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassehi rissamāno khuppipāsāya mīyamāno; ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Tassa ce, mahānāma, kulaputtassa evaṃ uṭṭhahato ghaṭato vāyamato te bhogā nābhinipphajjanti, so socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṃ kandati sammohaṃ āpajjati ‘moghaṃ vata me uṭṭhānaṃ, aphalo vata me vāyāmo’ti. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Tassa ce, mahānāma, kulaputtassa evaṃ uṭṭhahato ghaṭato vāyamato te bhogā abhinipphajjanti. So tesaṃ bhogānaṃ ārakkhādhikaraṇaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti— ‘kinti me bhoge neva rājāno hareyyuṃ, na corā hareyyuṃ, na aggi daheyya, na udakaṃ vaheyya, na appiyā vā dāyādā hareyyun’ti. Tassa evaṃ ārakkhato gopayato te bhoge rājāno vā haranti, corā vā haranti, aggi vā dahati, udakaṃ vā vahati, appiyā vā dāyādā haranti. So socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṃ kandati sammohaṃ āpajjati— ‘yampi me ahosi tampi no natthī’ti. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Puna caparaṃ, mahānāma, kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu rājānopi rājūhi vivadanti, khattiyāpi khattiyehi vivadanti, brāhmaṇāpi brāhmaṇehi vivadanti, gahapatīpi gahapatīhi vivadanti, mātāpi puttena vivadati, puttopi mātarā vivadati, pitāpi puttena vivadati, puttopi pitarā vivadati, bhātāpi bhātarā vivadati, bhātāpi bhaginiyā vivadati, bhaginīpi bhātarā vivadati, sahāyopi sahāyena vivadati. Te tattha kalahaviggahavivādāpannā aññamaññaṃ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti, maraṇamattampi dukkhaṃ. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Puna caparaṃ, mahānāma, kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu asicammaṃ gahetvā, dhanukalāpaṃ sannayhitvā, ubhatobyūḷhaṃ saṅgāmaṃ pakkhandanti usūsupi khippamānesu, sattīsupi khippamānāsu, asīsupi vijjotalantesu. Te tattha usūhipi vijjhanti, sattiyāpi vijjhanti, asināpi sīsaṃ chindanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti, maraṇamattampi dukkhaṃ. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Puna caparaṃ, mahānāma, kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu asicammaṃ gahetvā, dhanukalāpaṃ sannayhitvā, addāvalepanā upakāriyo pakkhandanti usūsupi khippamānesu, sattīsupi khippamānāsu, asīsupi vijjotalantesu. Te tattha usūhipi vijjhanti, sattiyāpi vijjhanti, chakaṇakāyapi osiñcanti, abhivaggenapi omaddanti, asināpi sīsaṃ chindanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti, maraṇamattampi dukkhaṃ. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Puna caparaṃ, mahānāma, kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu sandhimpi chindanti, nillopampi haranti, ekāgārikampi karonti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhanti, paradārampi gacchanti. Tamenaṃ rājāno gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kārenti— kasāhipi tāḷenti, vettehipi tāḷenti, aḍḍhadaṇḍakehipi tāḷenti; hatthampi chindanti, pādampi chindanti, hatthapādampi chindanti, kaṇṇampi chindanti, nāsampi chindanti, kaṇṇanāsampi chindanti; bilaṅgathālikampi karonti, saṅkhamuṇḍikampi karonti, rāhumukhampi karonti, jotimālikampi karonti, hatthapajjotikampi karonti, erakavattikampi karonti, cīrakavāsikampi karonti, eṇeyyakampi karonti, baḷisamaṃsikampi karonti, kahāpaṇikampi karonti, khārāpatacchikampi karonti, palighaparivattikampi karonti, palālapīṭhakampi karonti, tattenapi telena osiñcanti, sunakhehipi khādāpenti, jīvantampi sūle uttāsenti, asināpi sīsaṃ chindanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti, maraṇamattampi dukkhaṃ. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo sandiṭṭhiko dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Puna caparaṃ, mahānāma, kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu kāyena duccaritaṃ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṃ caranti, manasā duccaritaṃ caranti. Te kāyena duccaritaṃ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṃ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā, apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjanti. Ayampi, mahānāma, kāmānaṃ ādīnavo samparāyiko, dukkhakkhandho kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ kāmādhikaraṇaṃ kāmānameva hetu.

Ekamidāhaṃ, mahānāma, samayaṃ rājagahe viharāmi gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā nigaṇṭhā isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṃ ubbhaṭṭhakā honti āsanapaṭikkhittā, opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti. Atha khvāhaṃ, mahānāma, sāyanhasamayaṃ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena isigilipasse kāḷasilā yena te nigaṇṭhā tenupasaṅkamiṃ; upasaṅkamitvā te nigaṇṭhe etadavocaṃ— ‘kiṃ nu tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, ubbhaṭṭhakā āsanapaṭikkhittā, opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayathā’ti? Evaṃ vutte, mahānāma, te nigaṇṭhā maṃ etadavocuṃ— ‘nigaṇṭho, āvuso, nāṭaputto sabbaññū sabbadassāvī aparisesaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ paṭijānāti— “carato ca me tiṭṭhato ca suttassa ca jāgarassa ca satataṃ samitaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ paccupaṭṭhitan”ti. So evamāha— “atthi kho vo, nigaṇṭhā, pubbe pāpakammaṃ kataṃ, taṃ imāya kaṭukāya dukkarakārikāya nijjīretha; yaṃ panettha etarahi kāyena saṃvutā vācāya saṃvutā manasā saṃvutā taṃ āyatiṃ pāpassa kammassa akaraṇaṃ; iti purāṇānaṃ kammānaṃ tapasā byantibhāvā, navānaṃ kammānaṃ akaraṇā, āyatiṃ anavassavo; āyatiṃ anavassavā kammakkhayo, kammakkhayā dukkhakkhayo, dukkhakkhayā vedanākkhayo, vedanākkhayā sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ bhavissatī”ti. Tañca panamhākaṃ ruccati ceva khamati ca, tena camha attamanā’ti.

Evaṃ vutte, ahaṃ, mahānāma, te nigaṇṭhe etadavocaṃ— ‘kiṃ pana tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, jānātha— ahuvamheva mayaṃ pubbe na nāhuvamhā’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’. ‘Kiṃ pana tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, jānātha— akaramheva mayaṃ pubbe pāpakammaṃ na nākaramhā’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’. ‘Kiṃ pana tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, jānātha— evarūpaṃ vā evarūpaṃ vā pāpakammaṃ akaramhā’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’. ‘Kiṃ pana tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, jānātha— ettakaṃ vā dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ, ettakaṃ vā dukkhaṃ nijjīretabbaṃ, ettakamhi vā dukkhe nijjiṇṇe sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ bhavissatī’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’. ‘Kiṃ pana tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, jānātha— diṭṭheva dhamme akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānaṃ, kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ upasampadan’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’.

‘Iti kira tumhe, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, na jānātha— ahuvamheva mayaṃ pubbe na nāhuvamhāti, na jānātha— akaramheva mayaṃ pubbe pāpakammaṃ na nākaramhāti, na jānātha— evarūpaṃ vā evarūpaṃ vā pāpakammaṃ akaramhāti, na jānātha— ettakaṃ vā dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ, ettakaṃ vā dukkhaṃ nijjīretabbaṃ, ettakamhi vā dukkhe nijjiṇṇe sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ nijjiṇṇaṃ bhavissatīti. Na jānātha— diṭṭheva dhamme akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānaṃ, kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ upasampadaṃ. Evaṃ sante, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, ye loke luddā lohitapāṇino kurūrakammantā manussesu paccājātā te nigaṇṭhesu pabbajantī’ti? ‘Na kho, āvuso gotama, sukhena sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ, dukkhena kho sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ; sukhena cāvuso gotama, sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ abhavissa, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhaṃ adhigaccheyya, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhavihāritaro āyasmatā gotamenā’ti.

‘Addhāyasmantehi nigaṇṭhehi sahasā appaṭisaṅkhā vācā bhāsitā— “na kho, āvuso gotama, sukhena sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ, dukkhena kho sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ; sukhena cāvuso gotama, sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ abhavissa, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhaṃ adhigaccheyya, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhavihāritaro āyasmatā gotamenā”ti. Api ca ahameva tattha paṭipucchitabbo— “ko nu kho āyasmantānaṃ sukhavihāritaro rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro āyasmā vā gotamo”ti? Addhāvuso gotama, amhehi sahasā appaṭisaṅkhā vācā bhāsitā, na kho, āvuso gotama, sukhena sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ, dukkhena kho sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ; sukhena cāvuso gotama, sukhaṃ adhigantabbaṃ abhavissa, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhaṃ adhigaccheyya, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhavihāritaro āyasmatā gotamenāti. Api ca tiṭṭhatetaṃ, idānipi mayaṃ āyasmantaṃ gotamaṃ pucchāma— “ko nu kho āyasmantānaṃ sukhavihāritaro rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro āyasmā vā gotamo”ti?

Tena hāvuso nigaṇṭhā, tumheva tattha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā vo khameyya tathā naṃ byākareyyātha. Taṃ kiṃ maññathāvuso nigaṇṭhā, pahoti rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, aniñjamāno kāyena, abhāsamāno vācaṃ, satta rattindivāni ekantasukhaṃ paṭisaṃvedī viharitun’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’.

‘Taṃ kiṃ maññathāvuso nigaṇṭhā, pahoti rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, aniñjamāno kāyena, abhāsamāno vācaṃ, cha rattindivāni…pe… pañca rattindivāni… cattāri rattindivāni… tīṇi rattindivāni… dve rattindivāni… ekaṃ rattindivaṃ ekantasukhaṃ paṭisaṃvedī viharitun’ti? ‘No hidaṃ, āvuso’.

‘Ahaṃ kho, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, pahomi aniñjamāno kāyena, abhāsamāno vācaṃ, ekaṃ rattindivaṃ ekantasukhaṃ paṭisaṃvedī viharituṃ. Ahaṃ kho, āvuso nigaṇṭhā, pahomi aniñjamāno kāyena, abhāsamāno vācaṃ, dve rattindivāni… tīṇi rattindivāni… cattāri rattindivāni… pañca rattindivāni… cha rattindivāni… satta rattindivāni ekantasukhaṃ paṭisaṃvedī viharituṃ. Taṃ kiṃ maññathāvuso nigaṇṭhā, evaṃ sante ko sukhavihāritaro rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro ahaṃ vā’ti? ‘Evaṃ sante āyasmāva gotamo sukhavihāritaro raññā māgadhena seniyena bimbisārenā’”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano mahānāmo sakko bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandīti.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan¹ went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "For a long time now, lord, I have understood the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One thus: 'Greed is a defilement of the mind; aversion is a defilement of the mind; delusion is a defilement of the mind.' Yet even though I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One that greed is a defilement of the mind, aversion is a defilement of the mind, delusion is a defilement of the mind, there are still times when the mental quality of greed invades my mind and remains, when the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades my mind and remains. The thought occurs to me: What mental quality is unabandoned within me so that there are times when the mental quality of greed invades my mind and remains, when the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades my mind and remains?"

"Mahanama, that very mental quality² is what is unabandoned within you so that there are times when the mental quality of greed... the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades your mind and remains.³ For if that mental quality were abandoned in you, you would not live the household life and would not partake of sensuality. It's because that mental quality is not abandoned in you that you live the household life and partake of sensuality.

"Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that⁴ — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality.

"I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, but as long as I had not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, I did not claim that I could not be tempted by sensuality. But when I saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and I had attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, that was when I claimed that I could not be tempted by sensuality.

"Now what, Mahanama, is the allure of sensuality? These five strings of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable via the ear... Aromas cognizable via the nose... Flavors cognizable via the tongue... Tactile sensations cognizable via the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Now whatever pleasure or joy arises in dependence on these five strands of sensuality, that is the allure of sensuality.

"And what is the drawback of sensuality? There is the case where, on account of the occupation by which a clansman makes a living — whether checking or accounting or calculating or plowing or trading or cattle tending or archery or as a king's man, or whatever the occupation may be — he faces cold, he faces heat, being harassed by mosquitoes & flies, wind & sun & creeping things, dying from hunger & thirst. Now this drawback in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"If the clansman gains no wealth while thus working & striving & making effort, he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught: 'My work is in vain, my efforts are fruitless!' Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"If the clansman gains wealth while thus working & striving & making effort, he experiences pain & distress in protecting it: 'How will neither kings nor thieves make off with my property, nor fire burn it, nor water sweep it away, nor hateful heirs make off with it?' And as he thus guards and watches over his property, kings or thieves make off with it, or fire burns it, or water sweeps it away, or hateful heirs make off with it. And he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught: 'What was mine is no more!' Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source, sensuality for the cause, the reason being simply sensuality, that kings quarrel with kings, nobles with nobles, priests with priests, householders with householders, mother with child, child with mother, father with child, child with father, brother with brother, sister with sister, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend. And then in their quarrels, brawls, & disputes, they attack one another with fists or with clods or with sticks or with knives, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that [men], taking swords & shields and buckling on bows & quivers, charge into battle massed in double array while arrows & spears are flying and swords are flashing; and there they are wounded by arrows & spears, and their heads are cut off by swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that [men], taking swords & shields and buckling on bows & quivers, charge slippery bastions while arrows & spears are flying and swords are flashing; and there they are splashed with boiling cow dung and crushed under heavy weights, and their heads are cut off by swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that [men] break into windows, seize plunder, commit burglary, ambush highways, commit adultery, and when they are captured, kings have them tortured in many ways. They flog them with whips, beat them with canes, beat them with clubs. They cut off their hands, cut off their feet, cut off their hands & feet. They cut off their ears, cut off their noses, cut off their ears & noses. They subject them to the 'porridge pot,' the 'polished-shell shave,' the 'Rahu's mouth,' the 'flaming garland,' the 'blazing hand,' the 'grass-duty [ascetic],' the 'bark-dress [ascetic],' the 'burning antelope,' the 'meat hooks,' the 'coin-gouging,' the 'lye pickling,' the 'pivot on a stake,' the 'rolled-up bed.' They have them splashed with boiling oil, devoured by dogs, impaled alive on stakes. They have their heads cut off with swords, so that they incur death or deadly pain. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress visible here & now, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Again, it is with sensuality for the reason, sensuality for the source... that [people] engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct, they — on the break-up of the body, after death — re-appear in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. Now this drawback too in the case of sensuality, this mass of stress in the future life, has sensuality for its reason, sensuality for its source, sensuality for its cause, the reason being simply sensuality.

"Once, Mahanama, when I was staying near Rajagaha on Vulture Peak Mountain, a number of Niganthas were at Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili, practicing continuous standing: rejecting seats, experiencing fierce, sharp, racking pains due to exertion. So in the evening, rising from seclusion, I went to the Niganthas at Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili and on arrival asked them, 'Why are you practicing continuous standing: rejecting seats, experiencing fierce, sharp, racking pains due to exertion?' When this was said, the Niganthas said to me, 'Friend, the Nigantha Nataputta⁵ is all-knowing, all-seeing, and claims total knowledge & vision thus: "Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge & vision are continuously & continually established in me." He has told us, "Niganthas, there are evil actions that you have done in the past. Exhaust them with these painful austerities. When in the present you are restrained in body, restrained in speech, and restrained in mind, that is the non-doing of evil action for the future. Thus, with the destruction of old actions through asceticism, and with the non-doing of new actions, there will be no flow into the future. With no flow into the future, there is the ending of action. With the ending of action, the ending of stress. With the ending of stress, the ending of feeling. With the ending of feeling, all suffering & stress will be exhausted."⁶ We approve of that [teaching], prefer it, and are gratified by it.'

"When this was said, I asked them, 'But friends, do you know that you existed in the past, and that you did not not exist?' 'No, friend.' 'And do you know that you did evil actions in the past, and that you did not not do them?' 'No, friend.' 'And do you know that you did such-and-such evil actions in the past?' 'No, friend.' 'And do you know that so-and-so much stress has been exhausted, or that so-and-so much stress remains to be exhausted, or that with the exhaustion of so-and-so much stress all stress will be exhausted?' 'No, friend.' 'But do you know what is the abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&-now?' 'No, friend.'

"'So, friends, it seems that you don't know that you existed in the past, and that you did not not exist; you don't know that you did evil actions in the past, and that you did not not do them; you don't know that you did such-and-such evil actions in the past; you don't know that so-and-so much stress has been exhausted, or that so-and-so much stress remains to be exhausted, or that with the exhaustion of so-and-so much stress all stress will be exhausted; you don't know what is the abandoning of unskillful mental qualities and the attainment of skillful mental qualities in the here-&-now. That being the case, those in the world who are murderers, bloody-handed doers of what is cruel, when they are later reborn among human beings, go forth with the Niganthas.' 'But, friend Gotama, it's not the case that pleasure is to be attained through pleasure. Pleasure is to be attained through pain. For if pleasure were to be attained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha would attain pleasure, for he lives in greater pleasure than you, friend Gotama.'

"'Surely the venerable Niganthas said that rashly and without reflecting: 'But, friend Gotama, it's not the case that pleasure is to be attained through pleasure. Pleasure is to be attained through pain. For if pleasure were to be attained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha would attain pleasure, for he lives in greater pleasure than you, friend Gotama', for instead, I should be asked, "Who lives in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or venerable Gotama?"' 'Yes, friend Gotama, we said that rashly and without reflecting: 'But, friend Gotama, it's not the case that pleasure is to be attained through pleasure. Pleasure is to be attained through pain. For if pleasure were to be attained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha would attain pleasure, for he lives in greater pleasure than you, friend Gotama', but let that be. We now ask you, venerable Gotama: Who lives in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or venerable Gotama?'

"'In that case, Niganthas, I will question you in return. Answer as you like. What do you think: Can King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha — without moving his body, without uttering a word — dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for seven days & nights?' 'No, friend."

"'What do you think: Can King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha — without moving his body, without uttering a word — dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for six days & nights?'... for five days & nights... for four days & nights... for three days & nights... for two days & nights... for one day & night?' 'No, friend."

"'Now, I — without moving my body, without uttering a word — can dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for one day and night. Now, I — without moving my body, without uttering a word — can dwell sensitive to unalloyed pleasure for two days and nights... for three days & nights... four days & nights... five days & nights... six days & nights... seven days & nights. So what do you think: That being the case, who dwells in greater pleasure: King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or me?' 'That being the case, venerable Gotama dwells in greater pleasure than King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha.'"

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Mahanama the Sakyan delighted in the Blessed One's words.