Aṇguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
Mahāyañña-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sevens
Chapter V: The Great Sacrifice
Sutta 48
Saṃyoga-Visaṃyoga Dhamma-Pariyāya Suttaṃ
The Bondage
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][upal][olds] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, I will teach you a Dhamma-discourse
on bondage and on bond-freedom.
Pay heed,
listen well,
I will speak."
"Yes, lord" the monks rejoined;
and the Exalted One said:
"And what is the discourse
on bondage and on bond-freedom?
Monks, a woman marks femininity[1] in herself,
the feminine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,[2]
impulses,[3]
voice,
charm.
She is excited by that,
delighted by that;
and being so excited,
delighted,
she marks masculinity about her,
the masculine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
She is excited by that,
delighted by that;
and being so excited,
delighted,
she desires a bond
with those about her;
and whatsoever happiness,
well-being
comes of this bond
that she desires.
[33] Monks, delighted by,
attached to her own sex,[4]
she has gone into man's bondage
and thus escapes not from her own sex.
■
So, too, a man marks masculinity in himself,
the masculin occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
He is excited by that,
delighted by that;
and being so excited,
delighted,
he marks femininity about him,
the feminine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
He is excited by that,
delighted by that;
and being so excited,
delighted,
he desires a bond
with those about him;
and whatsoever happiness,
well-being
comes of this bond
that he desires.
Monks, delighted by,
attached to his own sex,
he has gone into woman's bondage
and thus escapes not from his own sex.
[ed1]This, Monks, is the Dhamma-discourse on bondage.
§
And what, Monks, is the Dhamma-discourse on bond-freedom?
Monks, a woman does not mark femininity in herself,
the feminine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
She is not excited by that,
delighted by that;
and not being excited,
delighted,
she does not mark masculinity about her,
the masculine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
She is not excited by that,
delighted by that;
and not being excited,
delighted,
she desires no bond
with those about her;
and whatsoever happiness,
well-being
comes of such a bond
that she does not desire.
Monks, not delighted by,
not attached to her own sex,
she has not gone into man's bondage
and thus escapes from her own sex.
■
So, too, a man does not mark masculinity in himself,
the masculin occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
He is not excited by that,
delighted by that;
and not being excited,
delighted,
he does not mark femininity about him,
the feminine occupation,
attire,
prejudices,
impulses,
voice,
charm.
He is not excited by that,
delighted by that;
and not being excited,
delighted,
he desires no bond
with those about him;
and whatsoever happiness,
well-being
comes of such a bond
that he does not desire.
Monks, not delighted by,
mot attached to his own sex,
he has not gone into woman's bondage
and thus escapes from his own sex.
This is the Dhamma-discourse on bond-freedom.
Verily, monks, this is the Dhamma-discourse on bondage and bond-freedom.'
[1] Cf. below, p. 135; DhS. trsl. 190.
[2] Vidhā. Comy. māna-.
[3] Chanda.
[4] Itthattaṃ
[ed1] Hare omits this and the next line and abbreviates the second half of this sutta noting: (But the opposite in both cases holds.)
