Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
14. Dhātu-Saṃyuttaṃ
IV. Catuttha Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
14. The Kindred Sayings on Element
4. [Untitled]
Sutta 34
Dukkha [Dukkha-Lakkhaṇa] Suttaṃ
Pain
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1] THUS have I heard.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī
in Jeta Grove, the Anāthapiṇḍika Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Yes, lord," replied those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"If this earth-element, brethren,
were entirely painful,
beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in happiness,
beings would not be lusting after the earth-element.
But inasmuch as this earth-element, brethren,
is pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in [116] pleasure,
not in pain,
therefore it is
that beings get lusting after the earth-element.
■
If this water-element, brethren,
were entirely painful,
beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in happiness,
beings would not be lusting after the water-element.
But inasmuch as this water-element, brethren,
is pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not in pain,
therefore it is
that beings get lusting after the water-element.
■
If this heat-element, brethren,
were entirely painful,
beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in happiness,
beings would not be lusting after the heat-element.
But inasmuch as this heat-element, brethren,
is pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not in pain,
therefore it is
that beings get lusting after the heat-element.
■
If this air-element, brethren,
were entirely painful,
beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in happiness,
beings would not be lusting after the air-element.
But inasmuch as this air-element, brethren,
is pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not in pain,
therefore it is
that beings get lusting after the air-element.
§
If this earth-element, brethren,
were entirely pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not immersed in pain,
beings would not be repelled by the earth-element.
But inasmuch as the earth-element
is painful,
is beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in pleasure,
therefore it is that beings are repelled by the earth-element.
■
If this water-element, brethren,
were entirely pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not immersed in pain,
beings would not be repelled by the water-element.
But inasmuch as the water-element
is painful,
is beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in pleasure,
therefore it is that beings are repelled by the water-element.
■
If this heat-element, brethren,
were entirely pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not immersed in pain,
beings would not be repelled by the heat-element.
But inasmuch as the heat-element
is painful,
is beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in pleasure,
therefore it is that beings are repelled by the heat-element.
■
If this air-element, brethren,
were entirely pleasant,
beset with pleasure,
immersed in pleasure,
not immersed in pain,
beings would not be repelled by the air-element.
But inasmuch as the air-element
is painful,
is beset with pain,
immersed in pain,
not immersed in pleasure,
therefore it is that beings are repelled by the air-element."
