Kāmadasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.6

Linked Discourses 2.6

1. Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Kāmadasutta

With Kāmada

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho kāmado devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Standing to one side, the godling Kāmada said to the Buddha,

“dukkaraṁ, bhagavā, sudukkaraṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s too hard, Blessed One! It’s just too hard!”

“Dukkaraṁ vāpi karonti,

“They do it even though it’s hard,”

(kāmadāti bhagavā)

said the Buddha to Kāmada,

Sekhā sīlasamāhitā;

“the stable trainees with ethics, and immersion.

Ṭhitattā anagāriyupetassa,

For one who has entered the homeless life,

Tuṭṭhi hoti sukhāvahā”ti.

contentment brings happiness.”

“Dullabhā, bhagavā, yadidaṁ tuṭṭhī”ti.

“Such contentment, Blessed One, is hard to find.”

“Dullabhaṁ vāpi labhanti,

“They find it even though it’s hard,”

(kāmadāti bhagavā)

said the Buddha to Kāmada,

Cittavūpasame ratā;

“those who love to settle the mind;

Yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca,

whose minds love to meditate

Bhāvanāya rato mano”ti.

day and night.”

“Dussamādahaṁ, bhagavā, yadidaṁ cittan”ti.

“But it’s hard, Blessed One, to immerse this mind in samādhi.”

“Dussamādahaṁ vāpi samādahanti,

“They become immersed in samādhi
even though it’s hard,”

(kāmadāti bhagavā)

said the Buddha to Kāmada,

Indriyūpasame ratā;

“those who love calming the faculties.

Te chetvā maccuno jālaṁ,

Having cut through the net of Death,

Ariyā gacchanti kāmadā”ti.

the noble ones, Kāmada, go on their way.”

“Duggamo, bhagavā, visamo maggo”ti.

“But this path, Blessed One, is rough and hard to travel.”

“Duggame visame vāpi,

“Though it’s rough, hard to travel,

Ariyā gacchanti kāmada;

the noble ones, Kāmada, go on their way.

Anariyā visame magge,

The ignoble fall headfirst

Papatanti avaṁsirā;

on a rough path.

Ariyānaṁ samo maggo,

But the path of the noble ones is smooth,

Ariyā hi visame samā”ti.

for the noble ones are smooth amid the rough.”