Entailing SufferingDukkhadhammasutta

“Mendicants, when a mendicant truly understands the origin and disappearance of all things that entail suffering,“Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. then they’ve seen sensual pleasures in such a way that they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures.Tathā kho panassa kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti. And they’ve awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them.Tathā kho panassa cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānusenti.

And how does a mendicant truly understand the origin and disappearance of all things that entail suffering?Kathañca, bhikkhave, sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti?

‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form.‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling …iti vedanā … perception …iti saññā … choices …iti saṅkhārā … consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti—

That’s how a mendicant truly understands the origin and disappearance of all things that entail suffering.evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

And how has a mendicant seen sensual pleasures in such a way that they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures?Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmā diṭṭhā honti? Yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.

Suppose there was a pit of glowing coals deeper than a man’s height, filled with glowing coals that neither flamed nor smoked. Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain. Two strong men would grab each arm and drag them toward the pit of glowing coals. They’d writhe and struggle to and fro.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā puṇṇā aṅgārānaṁ vītaccikānaṁ vītadhūmānaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikūlo. Tamenaṁ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā, taṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ upakaḍḍheyyuṁ. So iticīticeva kāyaṁ sannāmeyya. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? For that person knows, ‘If I fall in that pit of glowing coals, that will result in my death or deadly pain.’Ñātañhi, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa imañcāhaṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchissāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhanti.

In the same way, when a mendicant has seen sensual pleasures as like a pit of glowing coals, they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.

And how has a mendicant awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them?Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti?

Suppose a person was to enter a thicket full of thorns. They’d have thorns before and behind, to the left and right, below and above. So they’d go forward mindfully and come back mindfully, thinking, ‘May I not get any thorns!’Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso bahukaṇṭakaṁ dāyaṁ paviseyya. Tassa puratopi kaṇṭako, pacchatopi kaṇṭako, uttaratopi kaṇṭako, dakkhiṇatopi kaṇṭako, heṭṭhatopi kaṇṭako, uparitopi kaṇṭako. So satova abhikkameyya, satova paṭikkameyya: ‘mā maṁ kaṇṭako’ti.

In the same way, whatever in the world seems nice and pleasant is called a thorn in the training of the Noble One.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ, ayaṁ vuccati ariyassa vinaye kaṇṭako”ti. Understanding that this is a thorn, they should understand restraint and lack of restraint.Iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo.

And how is someone unrestrained?Kathañca, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti?

Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso, And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…

They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe… know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso, And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.

This is how someone is unrestrained.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti.

And how is someone restrained?Kathañca, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti?

Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso, And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…

They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe… know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso, And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.

This is how someone is restrained.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti.

Perhaps while that mendicant is conducting themselves and living in this way, bad, unskillful memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters arise every so often due to loss of mindfulness. Slowly mindfulness arises, but then they quickly give up, dispel, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts.Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ carato evaṁ viharato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti, pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day, and a person let two or three drops of water fall onto it. Slowly the drops fall, but then they quickly dry up and evaporate.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni nipāteyya. Dandho, bhikkhave, udakaphusitānaṁ nipāto, atha kho naṁ khippameva parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya.

In the same way, perhaps while that mendicant is conducting themselves and living in this way, bad, unskillful memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters arise every so often due to loss of mindfulness. Slowly mindfulness arises, but then they quickly give up, dispel, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno evaṁ carato, evaṁ viharato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

This is how a mendicant has awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti; yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti.

While that mendicant conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way, it may be that rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family would invite them to accept wealth, saying,Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ viharantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā, bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘Please, my man, why let these ocher robes torment you?‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti, Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi, Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti. But it is quite impossible for a mendicant who conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way to resign the training and return to a lesser life.So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ viharanto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Suppose that, although the Ganges River slants, slopes, and inclines to the east, a large crowd were to come along with a spade and basket, saying: ‘We’ll make this Ganges Riiver slant, slope, and incline to the west!’Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya: ‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti.

What do you think, mendicants?Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Would they still succeed?”api nu kho so mahājanakāyo gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran”ti?

“No, sir.“No hetaṁ, bhante”. Why is that?“Taṁ kissa hetu”? The Ganges River slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.“Gaṅgā, bhante, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; It’s not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline to the west.sā na sukarā pacchāninnā kātuṁ pacchāpoṇā pacchāpabbhārā. That large crowd will eventually get weary and frustrated.”Yāvadeva ca pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.

“In the same way, while that mendicant conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way, it may be that rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family should invite them to accept wealth, saying,“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tañce bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ viharantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘Please, my man, why let these ocher robes torment you?‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti, Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi, Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti. But it is quite impossible for a mendicant who conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way to resign the training and return to a lesser life.So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ viharanto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? Because for a long time that mendicant’s mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined to seclusion. So it’s impossible for them to return to a lesser life.”Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ, tathā hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.