Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Related Discourses

1. The Aggregates

20 (14). Enjoyment (2)

1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “In the past, I had pursuits and practices of enjoying form. When I realized[2] the enjoyment of form as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I had pursuits and practices of enjoying feeling … conception … volition … consciousness. When I realized the enjoyment of feeling … conception … volition … consciousness as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

3. “Monks, I had the pursuits and practices of form’s trouble. When I realized form’s trouble as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I had the pursuits and practices of feeling’s … conception’s … volition’s … consciousness’s trouble. When I realized consciousness’s trouble as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

4. “Monks, I had the pursuits and practices of escaping form. When I realized the escape from form as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I had the pursuits and practices of escaping feeling … conception … volition … consciousness. When I realized the escape from consciousness as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

5. “Monks, had I not truly known the enjoyment of the five acquired aggregates to be enjoyment … trouble to be trouble … escape to be escape, I wouldn’t be freed from, parted with, and escaped from [bondage]. I would have forever stood in delusion among the gods, Māra, Brahmā, ascetics, and priests in the assemblies of gods and humans, and I couldn’t have realized my attainment of the unsurpassed and complete awakening.

6. “Monks, I did truly know the enjoyment of the five acquired aggregates to be enjoyment … trouble to be trouble … escape to be escape, and I was freed from, parted with, and escaped from [bondage]. I never again stood in delusion among the gods, Māra, Brahmā, ascetics, and priests in the assemblies of gods and humans, and I could realize my attainment of the unsurpassed and complete awakening.”

7. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

Summary Verse


Notes

  1. This sūtra is parallel with SN 22.27. [back]
  2. As a result … realized. Ch. 隨順覺, Skt. *anubodhana. [back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 17 October 2022