Today, we are pleased to present selections from the Kâmasutta, Guhatthakasutta, Dutthatthakasutta and Suddhatthakasutta in the Atthakavagga, which are part of the Sutta Nipata, translated in the book The Sutta Nipata by V. Fausböll.
ATTHAKAVAGGA KÂMASUTTA
“Sensual pleasures are to be avoided. If he who desires sensual pleasures is successful, he certainly becomes glad-minded, having obtained what a mortal wishes for. But if those sensual pleasures fail the person who desires and wishes (for them), he will suffer, pierced by the arrow (of pain). He who avoids sensual pleasures as (he would avoid treading upon) the head of a snake with his foot, such a one, being thoughtful (sato), will conquer this desire. He who desires extensively (such) pleasures (as these), fields, goods, or gold, cows and horses, servants, women, relations, Sins will overpower him, dangers will crush him, and pain will follow him as water (pours into) a broken ship. Therefore let one always be thoughtful, and avoid pleasures; having abandoned them, let him cross the stream, after baling out the ship, and go to the other shore. Kâmasutta is ended.”
GUHATTHAKASUTTA
“Let no one cling to existence and sensual pleasures. A man that lives adhering to the cave (that is the body), who is covered with much (sin), and sunk into delusion, such a one is far from seclusion, for the sensual pleasures in the world are not easy to abandon. Those whose wishes are their motives, those who are linked to the pleasures of the world, they are difficult to liberate, for they cannot be liberated by others, looking for what is after or what is before, desiring these and former sensual pleasures. Those who are greedy of, given to, and infatuated by sensual pleasures, those who are stingy, they, having entered upon what is wicked, wail when they are subjected to pain, saying: 'What will become of us, when we die away from here?' Therefore let a man here learn, whatever he knows as wicked in the world, let him not for the sake of that practise (what is) wicked; for short is this life, say the wise. I see in the world this trembling race given to desire for existences; they are wretched men who lament in the mouth of death, not being free from the desire for reiterated existences. Look upon those men trembling in selfishness, […] without forming any attachment to existences. Having subdued his wish for both ends, having fully understood touch without being greedy, not doing what he has himself blamed, the wise (man) does not cling to what is seen and heard. Having understood name, let the Muni [sage] cross over the stream, not defiled by any grasping; having pulled out the arrow (of passion), wandering about strenuous, he does not wish for this world or the other. Guhatthakasutta is ended.”
DUTTHATTHAKASUTTA
“The Muni [sage] undergoes no censure, for he has shaken off all systems of philosophy, and is therefore independent. Verily, some wicked-minded people censure, and also just-minded people censure, but the Muni [sage] does not undergo the censure that has arisen; therefore there is not a discontented (khila) Muni anywhere. How can he who is led by his wishes and possessed by his inclinations overcome his own (false) view? Doing his own doings let him talk according to his understanding. The person who, without being asked, praises his own virtue and (holy) works to others, him the good call ignoble, one who praises himself. But the Bhikkhu who is calm and of a happy mind, thus not praising himself for his virtues, him the good call noble, one for whom there are no desires anywhere in the world. He whose Dhammas are (arbitrarily) formed and fabricated, placed in front, and confused, because he sees in himself a good result, is therefore given to (the view which is called) kuppa-patikka-santi. For the dogmas of philosophy are not easy to overcome, among the Dhammas (now this and now that) is adopted after consideration; therefore a man rejects and adopts (now this and now that) Dhamma among the dogmas. For him who has shaken off (sin) there is nowhere in the world any prejudiced view of the different existences; he who has shaken off (sin), after leaving deceit and arrogance behind, which (way) should he go, he (is) independent. But he who is dependent undergoes censure among the Dhammas; with what (name) and how should one name him who is independent? For by him there is nothing grasped or rejected, he has in this world shaken off every (philosophical) view. Dutthatthakasutta is ended.”
SUDDHATTHAKASUTTA
“No one is purified by philosophy, those devoted to philosophy run from one teacher to another, but the wise are not led by passion, and do not embrace anything in the world as the highest. I see a pure, most excellent, sound man, by his views a man's purification takes place, holding this opinion, and having seen this view to be the highest he goes back to knowledge, thinking to see what is pure. If a man's purification takes place by (his philosophical) views, or he by knowledge leaves pain behind, then he is purified by another (way than the ariyamagga, that is the noble way), together with his upadhis [limitations], on account of his views he tells him to say so.”
