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nor does he intend harm to both. At that time, he experiences only a feeling of non-affliction. I declare, bhikkhus, that the supreme enjoyment of feelings is non-affliction. 174. And what, bhikkhus, is the disadvantage of feelings? That, bhikkhus, feelings are impermanent, suffering, subject to change— this is the disadvantage of feelings. And what, bhikkhus, is the escape from feelings? That, bhikkhus, the removal of desire and lust for feelings, the abandoning of desire and lust— this is the escape from feelings. Whatever recluses or brahmins, bhikkhus, thus understand the enjoyment of feelings as enjoyment, the disadvantage as disadvantage, and the escape as escape— do not understand as it truly is, surely they themselves will understand feeling, or will encourage others for that state so that one practicing will understand feeling – this is not possible. But whatsoever, monks, recluses or brahmins thus the gratification of feelings as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape, understand as it truly is, surely they themselves will understand feeling, or will encourage others for that state so that one practicing will understand feeling – this is possible." This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Great Discourse on the Mass of Suffering, the third, is finished. 4. The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering 175. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went to the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to the Blessed One: "For a long time, venerable sir, I have known the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One thus – 'Greed is a defilement of the mind, hatred is a defilement of the mind, delusion is a defilement of the mind.' And I, venerable sir, have known the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One thus – 'Greed is a defilement of the mind, hatred is a defilement of the mind, delusion is a defilement of the mind.' Yet at times, states of greed still overcome my mind, states of hatred still overcome my mind, states of delusion still overcome my mind. So it occurs to me, venerable sir – 'What Dhamma within me is still not abandoned, by which at times states of greed still overcome my mind, states of hatred still overcome my mind, states of delusion still overcome my mind?'" 176. "That very Dhamma, Mahānāma, within you is still not abandoned, by which..." by which, for you, sometimes states of greed also overwhelm the mind, states of hatred also overwhelm the mind, states of delusion also overwhelm the mind. And indeed if for you, Mahānāma, that state were abandoned internally, you would not dwell in a home, you would not enjoy sensual pleasures. But because for you, Mahānāma, that very state is not abandoned internally, therefore you dwell in a home, you enjoy sensual pleasures. 177. ‘‘‘Sensual pleasures have little satisfaction, much suffering, much despair, the danger here is greater’ – even if this, Mahānāma, for a noble disciple is well seen with right wisdom as it really is, but if he, apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, does not attain joy and pleasure, or anything more peaceful than that; then he is not yet free from turning back to sensual pleasures. But when, Mahānāma, for a noble disciple ‘sensual pleasures have little satisfaction, much suffering, much despair, the danger here is greater’ – this is thus well seen with right wisdom as it really is, and he, apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, attains joy and pleasure, or anything more peaceful than that; then he is free from turning back to sensual pleasures. ‘‘And for me too, Mahānāma, before my enlightenment, when I was still an unenlightened Bodhisatta, ‘sensual pleasures have little satisfaction, much suffering, much despair, the danger here is greater’ – this was thus well seen with right wisdom as it really is, but I, apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, did not attain joy and pleasure, or anything more peaceful than that; then I did not declare myself free from turning back to sensual pleasures. But when for me, Mahānāma, ‘sensual pleasures have little satisfaction, much suffering, much despair, the danger here is greater’ – this was thus well seen with right wisdom as it really is, and I, apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, attained joy and pleasure, or anything more peaceful than that; a Thus I declared myself irreversible in sensual pleasures. 178. "And what, Mahānāma, is the gratification of sensual pleasures? These five, Mahānāma, are strands of sensual pleasure. Which five? Forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual pleasure, enticing; Sounds cognizable by the ear... Smells cognizable by the nose... Tastes cognizable by the tongue... Tangibles cognizable by the body, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual pleasure, enticing – These, Mahānāma, are the five strands of sensual pleasure. Whatever happiness and joy arises, Mahānāma, dependent on these five strands of sensual pleasure – this is the gratification of sensual pleasures. "And what, Mahānāma, is the danger of sensual pleasures? Here, Mahānāma, a young man of good family earns his living by whatever craft – whether by sealing, or by accounting, or by reckoning, or by farming, or by trade, or by cattle-tending, or by archery, or by royal service, or by any other craft, enduring cold, enduring heat, harassed by the touch of gnats, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, dying of hunger and thirst; this too, Mahānāma, is a visible mass of suffering, a danger of sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, originating from sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. "If, Mahānāma, for that young man of good family, striving, toiling, exerting himself thus, those possessions do not come to be, he grieves, he laments, he weeps, he beats his breast, he falls into confusion, ‘Vain indeed is my striving, fruitless indeed is my effort!’ This too, Mahānāma, is a visible mass of suffering, a danger of sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, originating from sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. "If, Mahānāma, for that young man of good family, striving, toiling, exerting himself thus, those possessions do come to be. He experiences suffering and sorrow on account of guarding those possessions – ‘How can kings not carry off my possessions, how can thieves not carry them off, how can fire not burn them, how can water not sweep them away, how can hateful heirs not carry them off?’ While he thus guards and protects those possessions, kings may carry them off... or thieves steal it, or fire burns it, or water carries it away, or unloved heirs take it. So he grieves, he laments, he weeps, he beats his breast, he falls into confusion – ‘What was mine is no more!’ This too, Mahānāma, is a visible drawback of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. Again, Mahānāma, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures, kings quarrel with kings, warriors quarrel with warriors, brahmins quarrel with brahmins, householders quarrel with householders, mother quarrels with son, son quarrels with mother, father quarrels with son, son quarrels with father, brother quarrels with brother, brother quarrels with sister, sister quarrels with brother, friend quarrels with friend. There, engaged in disputes, quarrels, and contentions, they attack each other with hands, they attack with clods, they attack with sticks, they attack with weapons. There, they meet death, or suffering like death. This too, Mahānāma, is a visible drawback of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. Again, Mahānāma, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures, taking sword and shield, girding on bow and quiver, they plunge into a battle arrayed on both sides, where arrows are flying, where spears are flying, where swords are flashing. There, they are pierced by arrows, they are pierced by spears, they are cut down by swords. There, they meet death, or suffering like death. This too, Mahānāma, is a visible drawback of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. Again, Mahānāma, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures, taking sword and shield, Having strung their bows and quivers, smeared with mud, they rush forward even as arrows are shot, even as spears are hurled, even as swords flash. There they are pierced by arrows, are pierced by spears, are drenched with cow dung, are crushed by clubs, and their heads are cut off with swords. There they meet death, or suffering like death. This too, Mahānāma, is a visible drawback of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures. Furthermore, Mahānāma, due to sensual pleasures, caused by sensual pleasures, based on sensual pleasures, for the sake of sensual pleasures, they break into houses, they plunder wealth, they commit highway robbery, they lie in ambush, they go after other men's wives. The kings, having seized them, inflict various punishments: they flog them with whips,