sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.6

Translators: sujato and bodhi

Linked Discourses 3.6

1. Paṭhamavagga
1. Shackles

Appakasutta

Few Few

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,
Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One:

“idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:
“Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus:

‘appakā te sattā lokasmiṁ ye uḷāre uḷāre bhoge labhitvā na ceva majjanti, na ca pamajjanti, na ca kāmesu gedhaṁ āpajjanti, na ca sattesu vippaṭipajjanti.
‘Few are the sentient beings in the world who, when they obtain luxury possessions, don’t get indulgent and negligent, giving in to greed for sensual pleasures, and doing the wrong thing by others.
‘Few are those people in the world who, when they obtain superior possessions, do not become intoxicated and negligent, yield to greed for sensual pleasures, and mistreat other beings.

Atha kho eteva bahutarā sattā lokasmiṁ ye uḷāre uḷāre bhoge labhitvā majjanti ceva pamajjanti ca kāmesu ca gedhaṁ āpajjanti, sattesu ca vippaṭipajjantī’”ti.
There are many more who, when they obtain luxury possessions, do get indulgent and negligent, giving in to greed for sensual pleasures, and doing the wrong thing by others.’”
Far more numerous are those people in the world who, when they obtain superior possessions, become intoxicated and negligent, yield to greed for sensual pleasures, and mistreat other beings. ’”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.
“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true!” said the Buddha. And he repeated the king’s statement, adding:
“So it is, great king! So it is, great king!”

Appakā te, mahārāja, sattā lokasmiṁ, ye uḷāre uḷāre bhoge labhitvā na ceva majjanti, na ca pamajjanti, na ca kāmesu gedhaṁ āpajjanti, na ca sattesu vippaṭipajjanti.

Atha kho eteva bahutarā sattā lokasmiṁ, ye uḷāre uḷāre bhoge labhitvā majjanti ceva pamajjanti ca kāmesu ca gedhaṁ āpajjanti, sattesu ca vippaṭipajjantī”ti.

Idamavoca …pe…

“Sārattā kāmabhogesu,
“Full of desire for possessions and pleasures,
“Enamoured with their pleasures and wealth,

giddhā kāmesu mucchitā;
greedy, infatuated by sensual pleasures;
Greedy, dazed by sensual pleasures,

Atisāraṁ na bujjhanti,
they don’t notice that they’ve gone too far,
They do not realize they have gone too far

migā kūṭaṁva oḍḍitaṁ;
like deer falling into a trap set out.
Like deer that enter the trap laid out.

Pacchāsaṁ kaṭukaṁ hoti,
It’ll be bitter later on;
Afterwards the bitter fruit is theirs,

vipāko hissa pāpako”ti.
for the result will be bad for them.”
For bad indeed is the result. ”