Saɱyutta Nikāya
I. Sagātha Vagga
3. Kosala Saɱyutta
1. Bandhana Vagga
Sutta 4
Piya
Dear
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
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[4.1][bit][pts][than][olds][bodh] At Sāvatthi.
[4.2][bit][pts][than][olds] Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One:
"Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus:
'Who now treat themselves as dear, and who treat themselves as a foe?'
Then, [168] venerable sir, it occurred to me:
[4.3][bit][pts][than][olds] 'Those who engage in misconduct of body, speech, and mind treat themselves as a foe.
Even though they may say,
"We regard ourselves as dear,"
still they treat themselves as a foe.
For what reason? [72] Because of their own accord they act towards themselves in the same way that a foe might act towards a foe; therefore they treat themselves as a foe.
[4.4][bit][pts][than][olds] But those who engage in good conduct of body, speech, and mind treat themselves as dear. Even though they may say, "We regard ourselves as a foe," still they treat themselves as dear. For what reason? Because of their own accord they act towards themselves in the same way that a dear person might act towards one who is dear; therefore they treat themselves as dear.'"
[4.5][bit][pts][than][olds] "So it is, great king! So it is, great king!"
(The Buddha then repeats the entire statement of King Pasenadi and adds the following verses:)
[4.6][bit][pts][than][olds] "If one regards oneself as dear
One should not yoke oneself to evil,
For happiness is not easily gained
By one who does a wrongful deed.
"When one is seized by the End-maker
As one discards the human state,
What can one call truly one's own?
What does one take when one goes?
What follows one along
Like a shadow that never departs?[208]
"Both the merits and the evil
That a mortal does right here:
This is what is truly one's own,
This one takes when one goes;
This is what follows one along
Like a shadow that never departs.
"Therefore one should do what is good
As a collection for the future life.
Merits are the support for living beings
[When they arise] in the other world."
[208]"The End-maker" (antaka), in pāda a, is a personification of death; elsewhere (e.g., at v. 448) the word refers expressly to Māra.
