In Search of GratificationAcariṁsutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, I went in search of the earth element’s gratification, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of gratification in the earth element.“Pathavīdhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, assādapariyesanaṁ acariṁ, yo pathavīdhātuyā assādo tadajjhagamaṁ, yāvatā pathavīdhātuyā assādo paññāya me so sudiṭṭho. I went in search of the earth element’s drawback, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of the drawback in the earth element.Pathavīdhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavapariyesanaṁ acariṁ, yo pathavīdhātuyā ādīnavo tadajjhagamaṁ, yāvatā pathavīdhātuyā ādīnavo paññāya me so sudiṭṭho. I went in search of escape from the earth element, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of escape from the earth element.Pathavīdhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissaraṇapariyesanaṁ acariṁ, yaṁ pathavīdhātuyā nissaraṇaṁ tadajjhagamaṁ, yāvatā pathavīdhātuyā nissaraṇaṁ paññāya me taṁ sudiṭṭhaṁ.

I went in search of the water element’s gratification …Āpodhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… I went in search of the fire element’s gratification …tejodhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave … I went in search of the air element’s gratification …vāyodhātuyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, assādapariyesanaṁ acariṁ, yo vāyodhātuyā assādo tadajjhagamaṁ, yāvatā vāyodhātuyā assādo paññāya me so sudiṭṭho.

As long as I didn’t truly understand these four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.Yāvakīvañcāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ na abbhaññāsiṁ, neva tāvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.

But when I did truly understand the four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.Yato ca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, athāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.

Knowledge and vision arose in me:Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi: ‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”‘akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo’”ti.