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B0102020105cūḷayamakavaggo (small pair sutra)

English

that, the knowing one, gone into knowledge, knows as it really is – ‘This course of action is painful in the present but has a pleasant result in the future.’ Knowing that as it really is, the knowing one, gone into knowledge, He practices it, he does not avoid it. As he practices it, as he does not avoid it, undesirable, unlovely, disagreeable things decline, desirable, lovely, agreeable things increase. For what reason is that? So it is, bhikkhus, for those who see. Bhikkhus, there is a practice of Dhamma that is pleasant in the present and has a pleasant result in the future. One who knows, one who has knowledge, understands it as it truly is – ‘This practice of Dhamma is pleasant in the present and has a pleasant result in the future.’ Knowing this, having knowledge, understanding it as it truly is, he practices it, he does not avoid it. As he practices it, as he does not avoid it, undesirable, unlovely, disagreeable things decline, desirable, lovely, agreeable things increase. For what reason is that? So it is, bhikkhus, for those who see. 478. And what, bhikkhus, is a practice of Dhamma that is painful in the present and has a painful result in the future? Here, bhikkhus, some person, with pain and with sorrow, is a killer of living beings; and because of killing living beings, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who takes what is not given; and because of taking what is not given, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who engages in sexual misconduct; and because of sexual misconduct, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who speaks falsely; and because of false speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who speaks divisively; and because of divisive speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who speaks harshly; and because of harsh speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow, he is one who engages in idle chatter; and because of idle chatter, he experiences pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow… He is covetous, and because of covetousness he feels pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow he has ill will, and because of ill will he feels pain and sorrow. With pain and with sorrow he has wrong view, and because of wrong view he feels pain and sorrow. He, with the body's breaking, after death, reappears in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. This, monks, is called a course of action painful in the present, and with painful result in the future. 479. "And what, monks, is a course of action pleasant in the present, and with painful result in the future? Here, monks, some person, with pleasure and with joy, is a killer of living beings, and because of killing living beings he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he takes what is not given, and because of taking what is not given he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he engages in sexual misconduct, and because of sexual misconduct he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he speaks falsehoods, and because of speaking falsehoods he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he slanders, and because of slander he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he speaks harshly, and because of harsh speech he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he engages in frivolous talk, and because of frivolous talk he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he is covetous, and because of covetousness he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he has ill will, and because of ill will he feels pleasure and joy. With pleasure and with joy he has wrong view, and because of wrong view... He experiences pleasure and joy. With the body's breaking up, after death, he reappears in a state of loss, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. This, bhikkhus, is called a course of conduct pleasant in the present, with painful results in the future. 480. And what, bhikkhus, is a course of conduct painful in the present, with pleasant results in the future? Here, bhikkhus, someone, even with pain, even with sorrow, abstains from killing living beings. Because of abstaining from killing, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from taking what is not given. Because of abstaining from taking what is not given, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from sexual misconduct. Because of abstaining from sexual misconduct, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from false speech. Because of abstaining from false speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from divisive speech. Because of abstaining from divisive speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from harsh speech. Because of abstaining from harsh speech, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he abstains from idle chatter. Because of abstaining from idle chatter, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he is not covetous. Because of non-covetousness, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he has a mind free from ill-will. Because of freedom from ill-will, he experiences pain and sorrow. Even with pain, even with sorrow, he has right view. Because of right view, he experiences pain and sorrow. With the body's breaking up, after death, he reappears in a good destination, in heaven... ...world he is reborn. This is called, monks, the undertaking of Dhamma painful in the present and with pleasant result in the future. And what, monks, is the undertaking of Dhamma pleasant in the present and with pleasant result in the future? Here, monks, some person with pleasure and with joy abstains from taking life, and due to abstaining from taking life he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from taking what is not given, and due to abstaining from taking what is not given he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from sexual misconduct, and due to abstaining from sexual misconduct he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from false speech, and due to abstaining from false speech he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from divisive speech, and due to abstaining from divisive speech he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from harsh speech, and due to abstaining from harsh speech he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy abstains from idle chatter, and due to abstaining from idle chatter he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy he is not covetous, and due to non-covetousness he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy he has a mind free from ill-will, and due to freedom from ill-will he experiences pleasure and joy; with pleasure and with joy he has right view, and due to right view he experiences pleasure and joy. He, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This is called, monks, the undertaking of Dhamma pleasant in the present and with pleasant result in the future. Monks, there are these four ways of undertaking Dhamma. 482. Monks, just as a bitter gourd mixed with poison. Then a man would come desiring to live, not desiring to die, desiring happiness, averse to suffering. They would say to him: ‘Good man, this bitter gourd is mixed with poison. If you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will not be pleasing in color, in smell, or in taste. And having drunk it, you will come to death or suffering like death.’ He, without reflecting, would drink it, would not put it away. As he drank it, it would not be pleasing in color, in smell, or in taste. And having drunk it, he would come to death or suffering like death. I declare this way of undertaking Dhamma, monks, to be like that: this way of undertaking Dhamma is painful in the present and has a painful result in the future. 483. Monks, just as a cup of drink endowed with good color, endowed with good smell, endowed with good taste. But it is mixed with poison. Then a man would come desiring to live, not desiring to die, desiring happiness, averse to suffering. They would say to him: ‘Good man, this cup of drink is endowed with good color, endowed with good smell, endowed with good taste. But it is mixed with poison. If you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will be pleasing in color, in smell, and in taste. But having drunk it, you will come to death or suffering like death.’ He, without reflecting, would drink it, would not put it away. As he drank it, it would be pleasing in color, in smell, and in taste. But having drunk it, he would come to death or suffering like death. I declare this way of undertaking Dhamma, monks, to be like that: this way of undertaking Dhamma is pleasant in the present and has a painful result in the future. 484. Monks, just as putrid urine mixed with various medicines Shoulder-borne. Then a man might come, suffering from jaundice. Him they would say thus – ‘Hey man, this is putrid urine mixed with various medicines, if you wish, drink it. To you, as you drink it, it will not be agreeable in color, nor in smell, nor in taste, but having drunk it, you will be happy.’ He, reflecting on it, would drink it, he would not reject it. To him, as he drank it, it would not be agreeable in color, nor in smell, nor in taste, but having drunk it, he would be happy. Such an undertaking of Dhamma, monks, I declare, which is an undertaking of Dhamma present painful, future pleasant in result. Monks, just as curds and honey and ghee and treacle are mixed together. Then a man might come, suffering from dysentery. Him they would say thus – ‘Hey man,