MN14 — Cūḷadukkhakkhandhasutta
Thus have I heard:
On one occasion, the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu at the Banyan Park. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One, paid homage, sat down to one side, and said to him: For a long time, Blessed One, I have understood the Dhamma as taught by the Blessed One in this way: Greed is a defilement of the mind, hatred is a defilement of the mind, delusion is a defilement of the mind. And though I know the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One in this way, yet sometimes thoughts of greed, hatred, and delusion still invade my mind and remain.
Then, Blessed One, I think: What mental state has not yet been abandoned within me, because of which thoughts of greed, hatred, and delusion still invade my mind and remain?
The Blessed One said, Mahānāma, the state that has not been abandoned within you, because of which thoughts of greed, hatred, and delusion still invade your mind and remain, is precisely that defilement within. If that state had been abandoned in you, you would not be living the household life, nor would you enjoy chasing sensual pleasures. But because that state has not been abandoned, you are still living the household life and enjoying craving sensual pleasures.
Sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and the danger in them is still more. Although a noble disciple may truly see with right wisdom in accordance with reality that sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and that the danger in them is still more, as long as he does not attain a joy apart from chasing sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, he may still be attracted to sensual pleasures.
However, when a noble disciple sees with right wisdom, in accordance with reality, that delight for sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and that the danger in them is still more, and attains a joy apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, he becomes detached from craving sensual pleasures.
Before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully awakened, I too saw chasing sensual pleasures as providing little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and I saw the danger in them as even greater. Yet, as long as I did not attain a joy apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, I was still attracted to sensual pleasures.
But what is the immediate disadvantage of chasing sensual pleasures? They encounter death there, and death itself is suffering.
This, too, Mahānāma, is the immediate disadvantage of chasing sensual pleasures: a mass of suffering that arises due to chasing sensual pleasures, has delight in sensual pleasures as its cause, craving sensual pleasures as its origin, craving sensual pleasures as its condition.
Moreover, Mahānāma, due to chasing sensual pleasures, with craving sensual pleasures as the cause, origin, and condition, people engage in misconduct by body, speech, and mind. After engaging in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, they are reborn in states of misery, in bad destinations, in realms of woe, in hell.
This, too, Mahānāma, is the long-term disadvantage of chasing sensual pleasures: a mass of suffering due to delighting in sensual pleasures, with craving sensual pleasures as the cause, origin, and condition.
Once, Mahānāma, I was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Vulture's Peak Mountain. At that time, a number of Jain ascetics were staying nearby on the Black Rock at Isigili, enduring severe, painful, harsh, and bitter feelings, having taken up a rigid austerity, refusing seats, enduring self-imposed hardship.
At evening time, I emerged from seclusion and approached those Jain ascetics. I went up to them and asked, Friends, why do you sit there enduring these severe, painful, harsh, and bitter feelings?
When I said this, Mahānāma, they replied, Friend, the Jain Nāṭaputta claims to be all-knowing, all-seeing, with complete and infinite knowing and vision, declaring: Whether I am walking, standing, sleeping, or awake, knowing and vision are always and continually present to me.
He teaches thus: You Jains have committed bad deeds in the past, and these painful austerities help to wear away those deeds. And now, by restraining the body, speech, and mind, you avoid committing further bad deeds in the future. Thus, through asceticism, past actions are worn away, no new actions are produced, and eventually, there will be freedom from further becoming. With the ending of becoming, suffering will cease. With the cessation of suffering, all pain will be worn away.
We are pleased and content with this teaching, and thus we are satisfied.
When they said this, I asked them, But friends, do you know whether or not you existed in the past?
No, friend.
And do you know whether or not you did unwholesome deeds in the past?
No, friend.
And do you know the specific kinds of unwholesome deeds you committed?
No, friend.
And do you know how much suffering has been worn away or how much still remains to be worn away? And whether, with a specific amount of suffering worn away, all suffering will be exhausted?
No, friend.
And do you know, in this very life, how to abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome ones?
No, friend.
So, it seems that you do not know whether you existed in the past, nor whether you did unwholesome deeds in the past, nor the kinds of unwholesome deeds you committed, nor how much suffering has been worn away or still remains to be worn away, nor whether all suffering will be exhausted with a specific amount worn away.
Do you not know:
The abandonment of unwholesome states and the cultivation of wholesome states in this very life?
If that is so, revered Jains, among those who are violent, blood-handed, and cruel in their actions, having been reborn in the human realm, do some of them go forth and ordain among the Jains?
No, friend Gotama, one cannot attain happiness through ease, but rather, happiness is achieved through suffering. If happiness could be attained through ease, then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha would already be the happiest, but he does not experience happiness more than the venerable Gotama.
The venerable Jains, having spoken too hastily and without careful thought, say: No, friend Gotama, one cannot attain happiness through ease, but rather, happiness is achieved through suffering. If happiness could be attained through ease, then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha would already be the happiest, but he does not experience happiness more than the venerable Gotama.
Indeed, I should now inquire, Who, then, is truly more at ease: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or the venerable Gotama?
The venerable Jains again speak too hastily, saying: No, friend Gotama, one cannot attain happiness through ease, but rather, happiness is achieved through suffering. If happiness could be attained through ease, then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha would already be the happiest, but he does not experience happiness more than the venerable Gotama.
But enough of this; even now we ask you, the venerable Gotama: Who is indeed more at ease, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or the venerable Gotama?
Well then, venerable Jains, I will ask you in return as it pleases you. How do you see this, revered Jains, is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha capable of remaining for seven days and nights continuously in an experience of unalloyed happiness without moving his body or speaking a word?
No, friend.
And for six days and nights?
No, friend.
And for five, four, three, or even two days and nights?
No, friend.
I, however, revered Jains, am capable of experiencing such unalloyed happiness without moving my body or speaking a word for one night and day, for two, for three, four, five, six, or even seven days and nights.
How do you see this, revered Jains? Who, under these circumstances, experiences greater ease: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or myself?
Indeed, venerable Gotama, in such circumstances, it is you, the venerable Gotama, who experiences greater ease than King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha.
The Blessed One said this, and the god Mahānāma of the Sakyans rejoiced and approved of the Blessed Ones words.