Piyasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.4

Linked Discourses 3.4

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. Shackles

Piyasutta

Loved

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,

“idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind.

‘kesaṁ nu kho piyo attā, kesaṁ appiyo attā’ti?

‘Who are those who love themselves? And who are those who don’t love themselves?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

Then it occurred to me:

‘ye ca kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti;

‘Those who do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind

tesaṁ appiyo attā.

don’t love themselves.

Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:

Even though they may say:

“piyo no attā”ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā’.

“I love myself”, they don’t really.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Yañhi appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti;

It’s because they treat themselves like an enemy.

tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā.

That’s why they don’t love themselves.

Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti;

Those who do good things by way of body, speech, and mind

tesaṁ piyo attā.

do love themselves.

Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:

Even though they may say:

‘appiyo no attā’ti; atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā.

“I don’t love myself”, they do really.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Yañhi piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti;

It’s because they treat themselves like a loved one.

tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā”ti.

That’s why they do love themselves.’”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!” said the Buddha. And he repeated the king’s statement, adding:

Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti;

tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā.

Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:

‘piyo no attā’ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Yañhi, mahārāja, appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti;

tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā.

Ye ca kho keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti;

tesaṁ piyo attā.

Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:

‘appiyo no attā’ti;

atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Yañhi, mahārāja, piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti;

tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā”ti.

Idamavoca …pe…

“Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,

“If you knew your self as beloved,

na naṁ pāpena saṁyuje;

you’d not yoke yourself to wickedness.

Na hi taṁ sulabhaṁ hoti,

For happiness is not easy to find

sukhaṁ dukkaṭakārinā.

by someone who does bad deeds.

Antakenādhipannassa,

When you’re seized by the terminator

jahato mānusaṁ bhavaṁ;

as you give up your human life,

Kiñhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,

what can you call your own?

kiñca ādāya gacchati;

What do you take when you go?

Kiñcassa anugaṁ hoti,

What goes with you,

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never leaves?

Ubho puññañca pāpañca,

Both the good and the bad

yaṁ macco kurute idha;

that a mortal does in this life

Tañhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,

is what they can call their own.

taṁva ādāya gacchati;

That’s what they take when they go.

Taṁvassa anugaṁ hoti,

That’s what goes with them,

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never leaves.

Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ,

That’s why you should do good,

nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ;

investing in the future life.

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

The good deeds of sentient beings

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.

support them in the next world.”