Kumārakasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā kumārakā antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhenti.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, between Sāvatthī and the Jeta Grove, several boys were tormenting some fish.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule kumārake antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhente. Disvāna yena te kumārakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te kumārake etadavoca: “bhāyatha vo, tumhe kumārakā, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ vo dukkhan”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante, bhāyāma mayaṁ, bhante, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ no dukkhan”ti.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the boys tormenting the fish. He went to them and said, “Boys, do you fear pain? Do you dislike pain?” “Yes, sir,” they replied. “We dislike pain.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Sace bhāyatha dukkhassa, sace vo dukkhamappiyaṁ; Mākattha pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, āvi vā yadi vā raho.

“If you fear pain, if you dislike pain, don’t do bad deeds either openly or in secret.

Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, karissatha karotha vā; Na vo dukkhā pamutyatthi, upeccapi palāyatan”ti. Catutthaṁ.

If you should do a bad deed, now or in the future, you won’t be freed from suffering, though you fly away and flee.”