To Tissametteyya on the Dangers of Sex · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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when someone indulges in sex“Methunamanuyuttassa,
said(iccāyasmā
Tissatisso
Metteyyametteyyo)
what troubleVighātaṁ
tellbrūhi
good fellowmārisa;
after hearingSutvāna
yourtava
instructionsāsanaṁ,
in seclusionViveke
we shall trainsikkhissāmase”.
“When someone indulges in sex,” said Venerable Tissametteyya, “tell us, good fellow: what trouble befalls them? After hearing your instruction, we shall train in seclusion.”
for one devoted to sexual intercourse“Methunamanuyuttassa,
Metteyya(metteyyāti
the Blessed Onebhagavā)
one forgetsMussate
indeedvāpi
the teachingsāsanaṁ;
wronglyMicchā
andca
one practicespaṭipajjati,
thisEtaṁ
in that onetasmiṁ
ignobleanāriyaṁ.
“When someone indulges in sex,” replied the Buddha, “they forget their instructions and go the wrong way— that is something ignoble in them.
aloneEko
formerlypubbe
having livedcaritvāna,
sexmethunaṁ
whoyo
resorts tonisevati;
like a chariotYānaṁ
careening off-trackbhantaṁva
that onetaṁ
in the worldloke,
low, they callhīnamāhu
an ordinary personputhujjanaṁ.
Someone who formerly lived alone and then resorts to sex is like a chariot careening off-track; in the world they call them a low, ordinary person.
fameYaso
reputationkitti
andca
whichyā
formerlypubbe,
falls awayhāyate
alsovāpi
of himtassa
thatsā;
this tooEtampi
having seendisvā
one should trainsikkhetha,
sexmethunaṁ
to give upvippahātave.
Their former fame and reputation also fall away. Seeing this, they’d train to give up sex.
by thoughtsSaṅkappehi
oppressedpareto
heso,
like a wretchkapaṇo
likeviya
broodsjhāyati;
having heardSutvā
of othersparesaṁ
the talknigghosaṁ,
embarrassedmaṅku
ishoti
that sorttathāvidho.
Oppressed by thoughts, they brood like a wretch. When they hear what others are saying, that sort is embarrassed.
thenAtha
verbal daggerssatthāni
they makekurute,
by opponentsparavādehi
reproachedcodito;
thisEsa
indeed for themkhvassa
great blind spotmahāgedho,
to liesmosavajjaṁ
they sinkpagāhati.
Then they lash out with verbal daggers when reproached by others. This is their great blind spot; they sink to lies.
as wise onePaṇḍitoti
was consideredsamaññāto,
solitary lifeekacariyaṁ
was committed toadhiṭṭhito;
but thenAthāpi
in sexmethune
indulgedyutto,
like a dullardmandova
is dragged alongparikissati.
They once were considered astute, committed to the solitary life. But then they indulged in sex, dragged along by desire like a dullard.
this dangerEtamādīnavaṁ
having knownñatvā,
a sageMuni
falling from a former statepubbāpare
hereidha;
wandering aloneEkacariyaṁ
firmlydaḷhaṁ
would resolvekayirā,
notNa
would not resort tonisevetha
sexmethunaṁ.
Knowing this danger in falling from a former state here, a sage would firmly resolve to wander alone, and would not resort to sex.
only in seclusionVivekaññeva
let them trainsikkhetha,
thisetaṁ
highest for the noble onesariyānamuttamaṁ;
notNa
due to thattena
bestseṭṭho
would thinkmaññetha,
onesa
indeedve
near extinguishmentnibbānasantike.
They’d train themselves only in seclusion; this, for the noble ones, is highest. One who’d not think themselves ‘best’ due to that has truly drawn near to extinguishment.
of the isolated oneRittassa
of the sagemunino
of the wandering onecarato,
in sensual pleasuresKāmesu
of the unconcerned oneanapekkhino;
of the one who has crossed the floodOghatiṇṇassa
they envypihayanti,
in sensual pleasuresKāmesu
tiedgadhitā
peoplepajā”ti.
the Tissametteyya SuttaTissametteyyasuttaṁ
seventhsattamaṁ.
People tied to sensual pleasures envy them: the isolated, wandering sage who has crossed the flood, unconcerned for sensual pleasures.”
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