AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.55 Mother and Son

Numbered Discourses 5.55 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.55

6. Hindrances – 6. Nīvaraṇavagga

AN 5.55 Mother and Son – Mātāputtasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.2

Now, at that time a mother and son had both entered the rainy season residence at Sāvatthī,

Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ ubho mātāputtā vassāvāsaṁ upagamiṁsu—

1.3

as a monk and a nun.

bhikkhu ca bhikkhunī ca.

1.4

They wanted to see each other often.

Te aññamaññassa abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmā ahesuṁ.

1.5

The mother wanted to see her son often,

Mātāpi puttassa abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmā ahosi;

1.6

and the son his mother.

puttopi mātaraṁ abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmo ahosi.

1.7

Seeing each other often, they became close.

Tesaṁ abhiṇhaṁ dassanā saṁsaggo ahosi.

1.8

Being so close, they became intimate.

Saṁsagge sati vissāso ahosi.

1.9

And being intimate, lust overcame them.

Vissāse sati otāro ahosi.

1.10

With their minds swamped by lust, without resigning the training and declaring their inability to continue, they had sex.

Te otiṇṇacittā sikkhaṁ apaccakkhāya dubbalyaṁ anāvikatvā methunaṁ dhammaṁ paṭiseviṁsu.

2.1

Then several bhikkhū went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

2.2

“idha, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ ubho mātāputtā vassāvāsaṁ upagamiṁsu—

2.3

bhikkhu ca bhikkhunī ca, te aññamaññassa abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmā ahesuṁ, mātāpi puttassa abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmā ahosi, puttopi mātaraṁ abhiṇhaṁ dassanakāmo ahosi.

2.4

Tesaṁ abhiṇhaṁ dassanā saṁsaggo ahosi, saṁsagge sati vissāso ahosi, vissāse sati otāro ahosi, te otiṇṇacittā sikkhaṁ apaccakkhāya dubbalyaṁ anāvikatvā methunaṁ dhammaṁ paṭiseviṁsū”ti.

3.1

“Bhikkhū, how could that silly man imagine that

“Kiṁ nu so, bhikkhave, moghapuriso maññati:

3.2

a mother cannot lust for her son, or that a son cannot lust for his mother?

‘na mātā putte sārajjati, putto vā pana mātarī’ti?

3.3

Compared to the sight of a woman, I do not see a single sight that is so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, captivating, and infatuating, and such an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary.

Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekarūpampi samanupassāmi evaṁ rajanīyaṁ evaṁ kamanīyaṁ evaṁ madanīyaṁ evaṁ bandhanīyaṁ evaṁ mucchanīyaṁ evaṁ antarāyakaraṁ anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, itthirūpaṁ.

3.4

Sentient beings are lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, and attached to the sight of a woman.

Itthirūpe, bhikkhave, sattā rattā giddhā gathitā mucchitā ajjhosannā.

3.5

They sorrow for a long time under the sway of a woman’s sight.

Te dīgharattaṁ socanti itthirūpavasānugā.

4.1

Compared to the sound … smell … taste … touch of a woman, I do not see a single touch that is so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, captivating, and infatuating, and such an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary.

Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekasaddampi … ekagandhampi … ekarasampi … ekaphoṭṭhabbampi samanupassāmi evaṁ rajanīyaṁ evaṁ kamanīyaṁ evaṁ madanīyaṁ evaṁ bandhanīyaṁ evaṁ mucchanīyaṁ evaṁ antarāyakaraṁ anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, itthiphoṭṭhabbaṁ.

4.2

Sentient beings are lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, and attached to the touch of a woman.

Itthiphoṭṭhabbe, bhikkhave, sattā rattā giddhā gathitā mucchitā ajjhosannā.

4.3

They sorrow for a long time under the sway of a woman’s touch.

Te dīgharattaṁ socanti itthiphoṭṭhabbavasānugā.

5.1

When a woman walks, she occupies a man’s mind.

Itthī, bhikkhave, gacchantīpi purisassa cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati;

5.2

When a woman stands … sits … lies down … laughs … speaks … sings … cries … is injured, she occupies a man’s mind. Even when a woman is dead, she occupies a man’s mind.

ṭhitāpi …pe… nisinnāpi … sayānāpi … hasantīpi … bhaṇantīpi … gāyantīpi … rodantīpi … ugghātitāpi … matāpi purisassa cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.

5.3

For if anyone should be rightly called ‘an all-round snare of Māra’, it’s females.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

5.4

‘samantapāso mārassā’ti mātugāmaṁyeva sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

5.5

‘samantapāso mārassā’ti.

6.1

You might chat with someone who has knife in hand.

Sallape asihatthena,

6.2

You might even chat with a goblin.

pisācenāpi sallape;

6.3

You might sit close by a viper,

Āsīvisampi āsīde,

6.4

whose bite would take your life.

yena daṭṭho na jīvati;

6.5

But never should you chat

Na tveva eko ekāya,

6.6

one on one with a female.

mātugāmena sallape.

7.1

They captivate the unmindful

Muṭṭhassatiṁ tā bandhanti,

7.2

with a glance and a smile.

pekkhitena sitena ca;

7.3

Or scantily clad,

Athopi dunnivatthena,

7.4

they speak charming words.

mañjunā bhaṇitena ca;

7.5

It’s not good to sit with such a person,

Neso jano svāsīsado,

7.6

even if she’s injured or dead.

api ugghātito mato.

8.1

These five kinds of sensual stimulation

Pañca kāmaguṇā ete,

8.2

are apparent in a woman’s body:

itthirūpasmiṁ dissare;

8.3

sights, sounds, tastes, smells,

Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,

8.4

and touches so delightful.

phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā.

9.1

Those swept away by the flood of sensual pleasures,

Tesaṁ kāmoghavūḷhānaṁ,

9.2

not comprehending them,

kāme aparijānataṁ;

9.3

are governed by transmigration—

Kālaṁ gati bhavābhavaṁ,

9.4

time and destination, and life after life.

saṁsārasmiṁ purakkhatā.

10.1

But those who completely understand sensual pleasures

Ye ca kāme pariññāya,

10.2

live fearing nothing from any quarter.

caranti akutobhayā;

10.3

They are those in the world who’ve crossed over,

Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,

10.4

having reached the ending of defilements.”

ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.

10.5

Pañcamaṁ.