The Simile of the AnglerBāḷisikopamasutta

“Mendicants, suppose an angler was to cast a baited hook into a deep lake.“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bāḷisiko āmisagatabaḷisaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya. Seeing the bait, a fish would swallow it.Tamenaṁ aññataro āmisacakkhu maccho gileyya. And so the fish that swallowed the hook would meet with tragedy and disaster, and the angler can do what he wants with it.Evañhi so, bhikkhave, maccho gilitabaḷiso bāḷisikassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāḷisikassa.

In the same way, there are these six hooks in the world that mean tragedy and slaughter for living creatures.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, chayime baḷisā lokasmiṁ anayāya sattānaṁ vadhāya pāṇinaṁ. What six?Katame cha?

There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso, mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe…

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…. ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.

There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.Santi ca, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.Tañce, bhikkhu, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe….

There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …Santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…. ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.”Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato”ti.