SN3:4 Dear
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. 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, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘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? sn.i.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. 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.’"
2"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:
3v.385 "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.
4v.386 "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?
[n.208] "The End-maker" (antaka), in pāda a, is a personification of death; elsewhere (e.g., at SN4:1–6) the word refers expressly to Māra.
5v.387 "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.
6v.388 "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."
1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘kesaṁ nu kho piyo attā, kesaṁ appiyo attā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘ye ca kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ appiyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: "piyo no attā"ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā’. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā. Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ piyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘appiyo no attā’ti; atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā"ti.
2"Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘piyo no attā’ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi, mahārāja, appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā. Ye ca kho keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ piyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘appiyo no attā’ti; atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi, mahārāja, piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā"ti. Idamavoca … pe …
3"Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,
na naṁ pāpena saṁyuje;
Na hi taṁ sulabhaṁ hoti,
sukhaṁ dukkaṭakārinā.
4Antakenādhipannassa,
jahato mānusaṁ bhavaṁ;
Kiñhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,
kiñca ādāya gacchati;
Kiñcassa anugaṁ hoti,
chāyāva anapāyinī.
5Ubho puññañca pāpañca,
yaṁ macco kurute idha;
Tañhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,
taṁva ādāya gacchati;
Taṁvassa anugaṁ hoti,
chāyāva anapāyinī.
6Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ,
nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ;
Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,
patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan"ti.