sutta » an » an6 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.23

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 6.23

3. Anuttariyavagga
3. Unsurpassable

Bhayasutta

Dangers

“‘Bhayan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
“‘Danger’, mendicants, is a term for sensual pleasures.

‘dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘Suffering’,

‘rogo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘disease’,

‘gaṇḍo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘boil’,

‘saṅgo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘snare’,

‘paṅko’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
and ‘bog’ are terms for sensual pleasures.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?
And why is ‘danger’ a term for sensual pleasures?

Kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from dangers in the present life or in lives to come. That is why ‘danger’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhanti …pe…
And why are ‘suffering’,

rogoti …
‘disease’,

gaṇḍoti …
‘boil’,

saṅgoti …
‘snare’,

paṅkoti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?
and ‘bog’ terms for sensual pleasures?

Kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi paṅkā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi paṅkā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘paṅko’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacananti.
Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from suffering, disease, boils, chains, or bogs in the present life or in lives to come. That is why these are terms for sensual pleasures.

Bhayaṁ dukkhaṁ rogo gaṇḍo,
Danger, suffering, disease, boils,

saṅgo paṅko ca ubhayaṁ;
and snares and bogs both.

Ete kāmā pavuccanti,
These describe the sensual pleasures

yattha satto puthujjano.
to which ordinary people are attached.

Upādāne bhayaṁ disvā,
Seeing the danger in grasping,

jātimaraṇasambhave;
the origin of birth and death,

Anupādā vimuccanti,
the unattached are freed

jātimaraṇasaṅkhaye.
with the ending of birth and death.

Te khemappattā sukhino,
Happy, they’ve come to a safe place,

diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
extinguished in this very life.

Sabbaverabhayātītā,
They’ve gone beyond all threats and dangers,

sabbadukkhaṁ upaccagun”ti.
and risen above all suffering.”

Tatiyaṁ.