Iṇasutta

“Dāliddiyaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Mendicants, isn’t poverty suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Yampi, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko iṇaṁ ādiyati, iṇādānampi, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“When a poor, penniless person falls into debt, isn’t being in debt also suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Yampi, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko iṇaṁ ādiyitvā vaḍḍhiṁ paṭissuṇāti, vaḍḍhipi, bhikkhave, dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“When a poor person who has fallen into debt agrees to pay interest, isn’t the interest also suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Yampi, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko vaḍḍhiṁ paṭissuṇitvā kālābhataṁ vaḍḍhiṁ na deti, codentipi naṁ; codanāpi, bhikkhave, dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“When a poor person who has fallen into debt and agreed to pay interest fails to pay it when it falls due, they get a warning. Isn’t being warned suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Yampi, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko codiyamāno na deti, anucarantipi naṁ; anucariyāpi, bhikkhave, dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“When a poor person fails to pay after getting a warning, they’re prosecuted. Isn’t being prosecuted suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Yampi, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko anucariyamāno na deti, bandhantipi naṁ; bandhanampi, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“When a poor person fails to pay after being prosecuted, they’re imprisoned. Isn’t being imprisoned suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, sir.”

“Iti kho, bhikkhave, dāliddiyampi dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino, iṇādānampi dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino, vaḍḍhipi dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino, codanāpi dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino, anucariyāpi dukkhā lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino, bandhanampi dukkhaṁ lokasmiṁ kāmabhogino; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci saddhā natthi kusalesu dhammesu, hirī natthi kusalesu dhammesu, ottappaṁ natthi kusalesu dhammesu, vīriyaṁ natthi kusalesu dhammesu, paññā natthi kusalesu dhammesu— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyassa vinaye daliddo assako anāḷhiko.

“So mendicants, poverty, debt, interest, warnings, prosecution, and imprisonment are suffering in the world for those who enjoy sensual pleasures. In the same way, whoever has no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities is called poor and penniless in the training of the Noble One.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko saddhāya asati kusalesu dhammesu, hiriyā asati kusalesu dhammesu, ottappe asati kusalesu dhammesu, vīriye asati kusalesu dhammesu, paññāya asati kusalesu dhammesu, kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati. Idamassa iṇādānasmiṁ vadāmi.

Since they have no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, or wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities, they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. This is how they’re in debt, I say.

So tassa kāyaduccaritassa paṭicchādanahetu pāpikaṁ icchaṁ paṇidahati. ‘Mā maṁ jaññū’ti icchati, ‘mā maṁ jaññū’ti saṅkappati, ‘mā maṁ jaññū’ti vācaṁ bhāsati, ‘mā maṁ jaññū’ti kāyena parakkamati. So tassa vacīduccaritassa paṭicchādanahetu …pe… so tassa manoduccaritassa paṭicchādanahetu …pe… ‘mā maṁ jaññū’ti kāyena parakkamati. Idamassa vaḍḍhiyā vadāmi.

In order to conceal the bad things they do by way of body, speech, and mind they harbor corrupt wishes. They wish, plan, speak, and act with the thought: ‘May no one find me out!’ This is how they pay interest, I say.

Tamenaṁ pesalā sabrahmacārī evamāhaṁsu: ‘ayañca so āyasmā evaṅkārī evaṁsamācāro’ti. Idamassa codanāya vadāmi.

Good-hearted spiritual companions say this about them: ‘This venerable acts like this, and behaves like that.’ This is how they’re warned, I say.

Tamenaṁ araññagataṁ vā rukkhamūlagataṁ vā suññāgāragataṁ vā vippaṭisārasahagatā pāpakā akusalavitakkā samudācaranti. Idamassa anucariyāya vadāmi.

When they go to a wilderness, the root of a tree, or an empty hut, they’re beset by remorseful, unskillful thoughts. This is how they’re prosecuted, I say.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, daliddo assako anāḷhiko kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nirayabandhane vā bajjhati tiracchānayonibandhane vā. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekabandhanampi samanupassāmi evaṁdāruṇaṁ evaṅkaṭukaṁ evaṁantarāyakaraṁ anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya, yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayabandhanaṁ vā tiracchānayonibandhanaṁ vāti.

That poor, penniless person has done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re trapped in the prison of hell or the animal realm. I don’t see a single prison that’s as grim, as vicious, and such an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke as the prison of hell or the animal realm.

Dāliddiyaṁ dukkhaṁ loke, iṇādānañca vuccati; Daliddo iṇamādāya, bhuñjamāno vihaññati.

Poverty is said to be suffering in the world, and so is being in debt. A poor person who has fallen into debt frets even when spending the loan.

Tato anucaranti naṁ, bandhanampi nigacchati; Etañhi bandhanaṁ dukkhaṁ, kāmalābhābhijappinaṁ.

And then they’re prosecuted, or even thrown in jail. Such imprisonment is true suffering for someone who prays for pleasure and possessions.

Tatheva ariyavinaye, saddhā yassa na vijjati; Ahirīko anottappī, pāpakammavinibbayo.

In the same way, in the Noble One’s training whoever has no faith, no conscience or prudence, contemplates bad deeds.

Kāyaduccaritaṁ katvā, vacīduccaritāni ca; Manoduccaritaṁ katvā, ‘mā maṁ jaññū’ti icchati.

After doing bad things by way of body, speech, and mind, they wish, ‘May no one find me out!’

So saṁsappati kāyena, vācāya uda cetasā; Pāpakammaṁ pavaḍḍhento, tattha tattha punappunaṁ.

Their behavior is creepy by body, speech, and mind. They pile up bad deeds on and on, life after life.

So pāpakammo dummedho, jānaṁ dukkaṭamattano; Daliddo iṇamādāya, bhuñjamāno vihaññati.

That simpleton evildoer, knowing their own misdeeds, is a poor person who has fallen into debt, and frets even when spending the loan.

Tato anucaranti naṁ, saṅkappā mānasā dukhā; Gāme vā yadi vāraññe, yassa vippaṭisārajā.

And when in village or wilderness they’re prosecuted by painful mental plans, which are born of remorse.

So pāpakammo dummedho, jānaṁ dukkaṭamattano; Yonimaññataraṁ gantvā, niraye vāpi bajjhati.

That simpleton evildoer, knowing their own misdeeds, goes to one of the animal realms, or is trapped in hell.

Etañhi bandhanaṁ dukkhaṁ, yamhā dhīro pamuccati; Dhammaladdhehi bhogehi, dadaṁ cittaṁ pasādayaṁ.

Such imprisonment is true suffering, from which the attentive are released. With confident heart, they give with wealth that is properly earned.

Ubhayattha kaṭaggāho, saddhassa gharamesino; Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya, samparāyasukhāya ca; Evametaṁ gahaṭṭhānaṁ, cāgo puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati.

That faithful householder of discernment holds a winning hand on both counts: welfare and benefit in this life, and happiness in lives to come. This is how, for a householder, merit grows by generosity.

Tatheva ariyavinaye, saddhā yassa patiṭṭhitā; Hirīmano ca ottappī, paññavā sīlasaṁvuto.

In the same way, in the Noble One’s training, whoever is grounded in faith, with conscience and prudence, wise, and ethically restrained,

Eso kho ariyavinaye, ‘sukhajīvī’ti vuccati; Nirāmisaṁ sukhaṁ laddhā, upekkhaṁ adhitiṭṭhati.

is said to live happily in the Noble One’s training. After gaining pleasure not of the flesh, they concentrate on equanimity.

Pañca nīvaraṇe hitvā, niccaṁ āraddhavīriyo; Jhānāni upasampajja, ekodi nipako sato.

They give up the five hindrances, constantly energetic, and enter the absorptions, unified, alert, and mindful.

Evaṁ ñatvā yathābhūtaṁ, sabbasaṁyojanakkhaye; Sabbaso anupādāya, sammā cittaṁ vimuccati.

Truly knowing in this way regards the ending of all fetters, by not grasping in any way, their mind is rightly freed.

Tassa sammā vimuttassa, ñāṇañce hoti tādino; ‘Akuppā me vimuttī’ti, bhavasaṁyojanakkhaye.

To that unaffected one, rightly freed with the end of the fetters of continued existence, the knowledge comes: ‘My freedom is unshakable.’

Etaṁ kho paramaṁ ñāṇaṁ, etaṁ sukhamanuttaraṁ; Asokaṁ virajaṁ khemaṁ, etaṁ ānaṇyamuttaman”ti. Tatiyaṁ.

This is the ultimate knowledge. This is the supreme happiness. Sorrowless, stainless, secure: this is the highest freedom from debt.”