Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ IV: Paññāsaka Catuttha
4. Āsīvisa Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
35. Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
§ IV: The 'Fourth Fifty' Suttas
4. The Chapter on the Snake

Sutta 203

Dukkha-Dhamma Suttaṃ

States of Ill

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

[188] [121]

[1][bodh] Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren."

"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One thus spake:

"Brethren, when a brother knows,
as they really are,
the arising
and the destruction
of all states of ill,
then indeed sensual pleasures are seen by him.

When he sees sensual pleasures,
that desire for sensual pleasures,
that love of sensual pleasures,
that infatuation,^[1]
that feverish longing^[2]
for sensual pleasures,
which is therein,
does not fasten on him.|| ||

His path abroad
and his lodging at home
are so practised^[3] that,
in such a way of life,
coveting and dejection,
those evil,
unprofitable states,
do not fasten on him.

And how, Brethren, does a brother know,
as they really are,
both the arising
and the destruction
of all states of ill?

He knows

'Such is body,
such the arising of body,
such is the destruction of body;

Such is feeling,
such the arising of feeling,
such is the destruction of feeling;

Such is perception,
such the arising of perception,
such is the destruction of perception;

Such are the activities,
such the arising of the activities,
such is the destruction of the activities;

Such is consciousness,
such the arising of the consciousness,
such is the destruction of the consciousness.

That, Brethren, is how he knows,
as they really are,
both the arising
and the destruction
of all states of ill.

And how, Brethren, are sensual pleasures
seen by a brother,
in such a way that,
so seeing sensual pleasures,
that love of sensual pleasures
that is therein
does not fasten on him?

Suppose, Brethren, there were a pit of charcoal,^[4]
deeper than a man's height,
full of charcoal,
without flame^[5]
and smokeless.

And suppose a man should come,
fond of life,
not loving death,
but loathing pain.

Then two strong men lay hold of him,
one by each arm,
and drag him to the pit of charcoal.

He would writhe his body to and fro.

Why so?

[122] That man, Brethren, would know:

'I shall fall into this pit of charcoal.

Owing to that I shall come by death or mortal pain.'

Even so, Brethren, a brother sees sensual pleasures
in the likeness of a pit of charcoal,
and, so seeing,
that love of sensual pleasures,
that infatuation,
that feverish longing
for sensual pleasures
that is therein
does not fasten on him.

And how, Brethren, does a brother
so practise his path abroad
and his lodging at home
that, so practising,
so dwelling,
covetousness and dejection,
those evil, unprofitable states,
do not fasten on him?

Suppose, Brethren, a man should enter
a forest full of thorns.

To the east of him are thorns.

To the west of him are thorns.

To the north of him are thorns.

To the south of him are thorns.

Below him are thorns.

Above him are thorns.

Wherever he advances or retreats,
he has the thought:

'May no thorns pierce me.'

Just so, Brethren, whatsoever object in the world
is dear and delightful, -
that in the Ariyan discipline
is called 'the thorn.'

■

By so understanding,
restraint and non-restraint
are to be understood.

■

And how, Brethren, comes non-restraint?

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
seeing an object with the eye,
is attached to objects that are dear,
is averse from objects that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
hearing a sound with the ear,
is attached to sounds that charm,
is averse from sounds that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
smelling a scent with the nose,
is attached to scents that charm,
is averse from scents that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
tasting a savour with the tongue,
is attached to savours that charm,
is averse from savours that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
contacting a tangible with the body,
is attached to tangibles that charm,
is averse from tangibles that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
cognizing a mind-state with the mind,
is attached to mind-states that charm,
is averse from mind-states that displease.

He dwells with attention to body distracted,
and his thought is mean.

He knows not that emancipation of heart,
that emancipation of wisdom,
as they really are,
whereby those evil,
unprofitable states
that have arisen
come to cease.

■

And how, Brethren, comes restraint?

Herein, Brethren, a brother,
seeing an object with the eye,
is not attached to objects that are dear,
is not averse from objects that displease.