Māgaṇḍiyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 75

With Māgaṇḍiya · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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suppose thatSeyyathāpi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, a leperkuṭṭhī a personpuriso sore·limbarugatto blister·limbpakkagatto by wormskimīhi being devouredkhajjamāno with nailsnakhehi wound·openingvaṇamukhāni scratchingvippatacchamāno coal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā bodykāyaṁ would cauterizeparitāpeyya.
hisTassa friend·colleaguemittāmaccā relative·kinñātisālohitā a surgeonbhisakkaṁ a physiciansallakattaṁ would getupaṭṭhāpeyyuṁ.
hisTassa thatso surgeonbhisakko physiciansallakatto medicinebhesajjaṁ would makekareyya.
heSo thattaṁ medicinebhesajjaṁ usingāgamma from leprosykuṭṭhehi would be curedparimucceyya, healthyarogo he would beassa happysukhī autonomousserī master of himselfsayaṁvasī whereveryena he wantedkāmaṁ able to gogamo.
heSo anotheraññaṁ a leperkuṭṭhiṁ personpurisaṁ would seepasseyya sore·limbarugattaṁ blister·limbpakkagattaṁ by wormskimīhi being devouredkhajjamānaṁ with nailsnakhehi wound·openingvaṇamukhāni scratchingvippatacchamānaṁ coal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā bodykāyaṁ cauterizingparitāpentaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya,
wouldapi thennu thatso personpuriso of thatamussa leperkuṭṭhissa personpurisassa would envypiheyya coal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā orvā medicinebhesajjaṁ for takingpaṭisevanāya orvā”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
when diseaseRoge indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, existssati with medicinebhesajjena to be donekaraṇīyaṁ ishoti, when diseaseroge not·beingasati notna with medicinebhesajjena to be donekaraṇīyaṁ ishotī”ti.

Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they’d cauterize their body over a pit of glowing coals. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them, and by using that they’d be cured of leprosy. They’d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted. Then they’d see another person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs, being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, cauterizing their body over a pit of glowing coals. What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya? Would that person envy that other person affected by leprosy for their pit of glowing coals or for taking medicine?” “No, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because you need to take medicine only when there’s a disease. When there’s no disease, there’s no need for medicine.”

just so“Evameva indeedkho Iahaṁ, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, formerlypubbe householder·becomeagāriyabhūto beingsamāno with fivepañcahi sensual·cordkāmaguṇehi with·furnishsamappito possessed·becomesamaṅgībhūto around·moveparicāresiṁ, eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyehi with formsrūpehi likableiṭṭhehi desirablekantehi agreeablemanāpehi dear·formpiyarūpehi sensual·connectedkāmūpasaṁhitehi arousingrajanīyehi, ear·cognizablesotaviññeyyehi with soundssaddehi …pe……pe…
nose·cognizableghānaviññeyyehi with smellsgandhehi ……
tongue·cognizablejivhāviññeyyehi with tastesrasehi ……
body·cognizablekāyaviññeyyehi with touchesphoṭṭhabbehi likableiṭṭhehi desirablekantehi agreeablemanāpehi dear·formpiyarūpehi sensual·connectedkāmūpasaṁhitehi arousingrajanīyehi.
ISo lateraparena with timesamayena sensual + justkāmānaṁyeva origin + andsamudayañca ending + andatthaṅgamañca gratification + andassādañca drawback + andādīnavañca escape + andnissaraṇañca as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ having knownviditvā sensual·cravingkāmataṇhaṁ forth·abandonpahāya sensual·passionkāmapariḷāhaṁ back·dispelpaṭivinodetvā gone·thirstvigatapipāso internallyajjhattaṁ settled·mindvūpasantacitto apart·dwellviharāmi.
ISo otheraññe beingssatte I seepassāmi in sensual pleasureskāmesu not·free·passionavītarāge sensual·cravingkāmataṇhāhi being consumedkhajjamāne sensual·passionkāmapariḷāhena around·burnpariḍayhamāne sensual pleasureskāme back·indulgepaṭisevante.
ISo themtesaṁ notna I envypihemi, notna theretattha towards·delightabhiramāmi.
whatTaṁ whatkissa reasonhetu?
which + thisYāhayaṁ, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, satisfactionrati, apart + justaññatreva from sensual pleasureskāmehi apartaññatra not·skillfulakusalehi from qualitiesdhammehi—
evenapi heavenlydibbaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ with·attainsamadhigayha it remainstiṭṭhati—
by thattāya satisfactionratiyā enjoyingramamāno of what is inferiorhīnassa notna I envypihemi, notna theretattha towards·delightabhiramāmi.

“In the same way, Māgaṇḍiya, when I was still a layperson I used to amuse myself with sights … sounds … smells … tastes … touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Some time later—having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for sensual pleasures—I live rid of thirst, my mind settled internally. I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. I don’t envy them, nor do I hope to enjoy that. Why is that? Because there is a satisfaction that is apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, which even equals heavenly pleasure. Enjoying that satisfaction, I don’t envy what is inferior, nor do I hope to enjoy it.

just asSeyyathāpi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, one with leprosykuṭṭhī a personpuriso sore·limbarugatto ripened·limbpakkagatto by wormskimīhi being eatenkhajjamāno with nailsnakhehi wound·mouthvaṇamukhāni scratching openvippatacchamāno coal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā his bodykāyaṁ around·burnparitāpeyya.
hisTassa friend·colleaguemittāmaccā relative·blood-kinñātisālohitā a physicianbhisakkaṁ dart·cuttersallakattaṁ they would presentupaṭṭhāpeyyuṁ.
for himTassa thatso physicianbhisakko surgeonsallakatto a medicinebhesajjaṁ would makekareyya.
heSo thattaṁ medicinebhesajjaṁ to·goāgamma from leprosykuṭṭhehi around·releaseparimucceyya, healthyarogo he would beassa happysukhī autonomousserī self·having powersayaṁvasī whereyena he wantedkāmaṁ he could gogamo.
himTamenaṁ twodve strongbalavanto menpurisā different·armnānābāhāsu having seizedgahetvā coal·pitaṅgārakāsuṁ near·dragupakaḍḍheyyuṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya,
notapi thennu thatso personpuriso thusiti back and forth·indeedciticeva his bodykāyaṁ he would writhesannāmeyyā”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the reasonhetu?
thatAsu indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, fireaggi pain·contactdukkhasamphasso andceva great·intense·heatmahābhitāpo andca great·around·burnmahāpariḷāho andcā”ti.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya,

Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they’d cauterize their body over a pit of glowing coals. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them, and by using that they’d be cured of leprosy. They’d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted. Two strong men would grab them by the arms and drag them toward the pit of glowing coals. What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya? Wouldn’t that person writhe and struggle to and fro?” “Yes, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because that fire is really painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching.” “What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya?

now onlyidāneva thennu indeedkho thatso fireaggi painful to touchdukkhasamphasso and alsoceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpo andca very hotmahāpariḷāho andca orudāhu before·alsopubbepi thatso fireaggi painful to touchdukkhasamphasso and alsoceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpo andca very hotmahāpariḷāho and?"cā”ti?
now“Idāni and alsoceva, sirbho gotamagotama, thatso fireaggi painful to touchdukkhasamphasso and alsoceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpo andca very hotmahāpariḷāho and,ca, before·alsopubbepi thatso fireaggi painful to touchdukkhasamphasso and alsoceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpo andca very hotmahāpariḷāho and.ca.
thatAsu and,ca, sirbho gotamagotama, afflicted with leprosykuṭṭhī personpuriso with soresarugatto with blistered limbspakkagatto by wormskimīhi being devouredkhajjamāno with nailsnakhehi wound·mouthsvaṇamukhāni scratching openvippatacchamāno with impaired facultiesupahatindriyo in painful touch onlydukkhasamphasseyeva in the fireaggismiṁ pleasant·quotation markersukhamiti reversed·perceptionviparītasaññaṁ acquired."paccalatthā”ti.

Is it only now that the fire is really painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching, or was it painful previously as well?” “That fire is painful now and it was also painful previously. That person was affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, their sense faculties were impaired. So even though the fire was actually painful to touch, they had a distorted perception that it was pleasant.”

just so“Evameva indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, past·evenatītampi timeaddhānaṁ sensual pleasureskāmā painful·touchdukkhasamphassā andceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpā andca great·scorchingmahāpariḷāhā andca, future·evenanāgatampi timeaddhānaṁ sensual pleasureskāmā painful·touchdukkhasamphassā andceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpā andca great·scorchingmahāpariḷāhā andca, now·evenetarahipi presentpaccuppannaṁ timeaddhānaṁ sensual pleasureskāmā painful·touchdukkhasamphassā andceva fiercely burningmahābhitāpā andca great·scorchingmahāpariḷāhā andca.
theseIme andca, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, beingssattā in sensual pleasureskāmesu not·free from passionavītarāgā sensual pleasure·cravingkāmataṇhāhi being consumedkhajjamānā sensual pleasure·passionkāmapariḷāhena around·burnpariḍayhamānā with impaired facultiesupahatindriyā painful·touch + evendukkhasamphassesuyeva in sensual pleasureskāmesu pleasant·thussukhamiti distorted·perceptionviparītasaññaṁ they have acquiredpaccalatthuṁ.

“In the same way, sensual pleasures of the past, future, and present are painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching. These sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures—being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures—have impaired sense faculties. So even though sensual pleasures are actually painful to touch, they have a distorted perception that they are pleasant.

just asSeyyathāpi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, a leperkuṭṭhī personpuriso sore·limbedarugatto ripe·limbedpakkagatto by wormskimīhi being devouredkhajjamāno with nailsnakhehi wound·openingsvaṇamukhāni apart·scratchvippatacchamāno charcoal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā bodykāyaṁ around·heatparitāpeti.
asYathā asyathā indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, thatasu leperkuṭṭhī personpuriso sore·limbedarugatto ripe·limbedpakkagatto by wormskimīhi being devouredkhajjamāno with nailsnakhehi wound·openingsvaṇamukhāni apart·scratchvippatacchamāno charcoal·pitaṅgārakāsuyā bodykāyaṁ around·heatparitāpeti sotathā so + for-himtathāssa thosetāni wound·openingsvaṇamukhāni more foulasucitarāni indeedceva arehonti more stinkingduggandhatarāni andca more infectedpūtikatarāni andca, there ishoti indeedceva somekāci pleasure·measuresātamattā gratification·measure·that-isassādamattā—yadidaṁ wound·openingsvaṇamukhānaṁ itching·causekaṇḍūvanahetu;
thus·justevameva indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, beingssattā in sensual pleasureskāmesu not·free·passionavītarāgā sensual·cravingskāmataṇhāhi being consumedkhajjamānā sensual·burningkāmapariḷāhena andca around·burnpariḍayhamānā in sensual pleasureskāme against·resortpaṭisevanti.
asYathā asyathā indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, beingssattā in sensual pleasureskāmesu not·free·passionavītarāgā sensual·cravingskāmataṇhāhi being consumedkhajjamānā sensual·burningkāmapariḷāhena andca around·burnpariḍayhamānā in sensual pleasureskāme against·resortpaṭisevanti sotathā sotathā of themtesaṁ of themtesaṁ of beingssattānaṁ sensual·cravingkāmataṇhā indeedceva forth·growpavaḍḍhati, sensual·burningkāmapariḷāhena andca around·burnpariḍayhanti, there ishoti indeedceva pleasure·measuresātamattā gratification·measure·that-isassādamattā—yadidaṁ five·sensual·strandspañcakāmaguṇe based onpaṭicca.

Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they’re cauterizing their body over a pit of glowing coals. The more they scratch their wounds and cauterize their body, the more their wounds become foul, stinking, and infected. But still, they derive a degree of pleasure and gratification from the itchiness of their wounds. In the same way, I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. The more they indulge in sensual pleasures, the more their craving for sensual pleasures grows, and the more they burn with passion for sensual pleasures. But still, they derive a degree of pleasure and gratification from the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

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