AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.56 Danger

Numbered Discourses 8.56 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.56

6. Gotamī – 6. Gotamīvagga

AN 8.56 Danger – Bhayasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, ‘danger’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

“‘Bhayan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.2

‘Suffering’,

‘Dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.3

‘disease’,

‘Rogo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.4

‘boil’,

‘Gaṇḍo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.5

‘dart’,

‘Sallan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.6

‘snare’,

‘Saṅgo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.7

‘bog’,

‘Paṅko’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.8

and ‘womb’ are terms for sensual pleasures.

‘Gabbho’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.9

And why is ‘danger’ a term for sensual pleasures?

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?

1.10

Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from dangers in the present life or in lives to come. That is why ‘danger’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

1.11

And why are ‘suffering’,

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘dukkhan’ti …pe…

1.12

‘disease’,

‘rogo’ti …

1.13

‘boil’,

‘gaṇḍo’ti …

1.14

‘dart’,

‘sallan’ti …

1.15

‘snare’,

‘saṅgo’ti …

1.16

‘bog’,

‘paṅko’ti …

1.17

and ‘womb’ terms for sensual pleasures?

‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?

1.18

Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from wombs in the present life or in lives to come. That is why ‘womb’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

2.1

Danger, suffering, and disease,

Bhayaṁ dukkhañca rogo ca,

2.2

boil, dart, and snare,

gaṇḍo sallañca saṅgo ca;

2.3

and bogs and wombs both.

Paṅko gabbho ca ubhayaṁ,

2.4

These describe the sensual pleasures

ete kāmā pavuccanti;

2.5

to which ordinary people are attached.

Yattha satto puthujjano.

3.1

Swamped by things that seem pleasant,

Otiṇṇo sātarūpena,

3.2

you go to another womb.

puna gabbhāya gacchati;

3.3

But when a bhikkhu is keen,

Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī,

3.4

and doesn’t forget awareness,

sampajaññaṁ na riccati.

4.1

in this way they transcend

So imaṁ palipathaṁ duggaṁ,

4.2

this grueling swamp.

atikkamma tathāvidho;

4.3

They watch this population flounder,

Pajaṁ jātijarūpetaṁ,

4.4

fallen into rebirth and old age.”

phandamānaṁ avekkhatī”ti.

4.5

Chaṭṭhaṁ.