sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.7

Kāmasutta

Sensual Pleasures

“Yebhuyyena, bhikkhave, sattā kāmesu laḷitā.
“Mendicants, sentient beings are mostly charmed by sensual pleasures.

Asitabyābhaṅgiṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto ohāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, ‘saddhāpabbajito kulaputto’ti alaṁvacanāya.
When a gentleman has abandoned the scythe and flail and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, they’re qualified to be called ‘a faithful renunciate from a good family’.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Labbhā, bhikkhave, yobbanena kāmā te ca kho yādisā vā tādisā vā.
Because a youth can get sensual pleasures of this kind or that.

Ye ca, bhikkhave, hīnā kāmā ye ca majjhimā kāmā ye ca paṇītā kāmā, sabbe kāmā ‘kāmā’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti.
Now, all sensual pleasures are just reckoned as ‘sensual pleasures’, regardless of whether they’re inferior, average, or superior.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, daharo kumāro mando uttānaseyyako dhātiyā pamādamanvāya kaṭṭhaṁ vā kaṭhalaṁ vā mukhe āhareyya.
Suppose there was a little baby boy who, because of his nursemaid’s negligence, puts a stick or stone in his mouth.

Tamenaṁ dhāti sīghaṁ sīghaṁ manasi kareyya;
The nursemaid would very quickly notice

sīghaṁ sīghaṁ manasi karitvā sīghaṁ sīghaṁ āhareyya.
and try to take it out.

No ce sakkuṇeyya sīghaṁ sīghaṁ āharituṁ, vāmena hatthena sīsaṁ pariggahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena vaṅkaṅguliṁ karitvā salohitampi āhareyya.
If that didn’t work, she’d cradle his head with her left hand, and take it out using a hooked finger of her right hand, even if it drew blood.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

‘Atthesā, bhikkhave, kumārassa vihesā;
I admit she’d know, ‘This will distress the child,

nesā natthī’ti vadāmi.
there’s no denying.’

Karaṇīyañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dhātiyā atthakāmāya hitesiniyā anukampikāya, anukampaṁ upādāya.
Still, it should be done by a nursemaid who wants what’s best for him, out of kindness and sympathy.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, so kumāro vuddho hoti alaṁpañño, anapekkhā dāni, bhikkhave, dhāti tasmiṁ kumāre hoti:
And when the boy has grown up and has enough sense, his nursemaid would not worry about him, thinking:

‘attagutto dāni kumāro nālaṁ pamādāyā’ti.
‘The boy can look after himself. He won’t be negligent.’

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca bhikkhuno saddhāya akataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, hiriyā akataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, ottappena akataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, vīriyena akataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, paññāya akataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, anurakkhitabbo tāva me so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hoti.
In the same way, I still need to look after a mendicant who hasn’t finished developing faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom regarding skillful qualities.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno saddhāya kataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, hiriyā kataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, ottappena kataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, vīriyena kataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, paññāya kataṁ hoti kusalesu dhammesu, anapekkho dānāhaṁ, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ bhikkhusmiṁ homi:
But when a mendicant has finished developing faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom regarding skillful qualities, I need not be concerned, thinking:

‘attagutto dāni bhikkhu nālaṁ pamādāyā’”ti.
‘They can look after themselves. They won’t be negligent.’”

Sattamaṁ.