Tissametteyyasutta

Sutta Nipāta 4.7

Anthology of Discourses 4.7

Tissametteyyasutta

With Tissametteyya

“Methunamanuyuttassa,

“When someone indulges in sex,”

(iccāyasmā tisso metteyyo)

said Venerable Tissametteyya,

Vighātaṁ brūhi mārisa;

“tell us, good fellow: what trouble befalls them?

Sutvāna tava sāsanaṁ,

After hearing your instruction,

Viveke sikkhissāmase”.

we shall train in seclusion.”

“Methunamanuyuttassa,

“When someone indulges in sex,”

(metteyyāti bhagavā)

replied the Buddha,

Mussate vāpi sāsanaṁ;

“they forget their instructions

Micchā ca paṭipajjati,

and go the wrong way—

Etaṁ tasmiṁ anāriyaṁ.

that is something ignoble in them.

Eko pubbe caritvāna,

Someone who formerly lived alone

methunaṁ yo nisevati;

and then resorts to sex

Yānaṁ bhantaṁva taṁ loke,

is like a chariot careening off-track;

hīnamāhu puthujjanaṁ.

in the world they call them a low, ordinary person.

Yaso kitti ca yā pubbe,

Their former fame and reputation

hāyate vāpi tassa sā;

also fall away.

Etampi disvā sikkhetha,

Seeing this, they’d train

methunaṁ vippahātave.

to give up sex.

Saṅkappehi pareto so,

Oppressed by thoughts,

kapaṇo viya jhāyati;

they brood like a wretch.

Sutvā paresaṁ nigghosaṁ,

When they hear what others are saying,

maṅku hoti tathāvidho.

that sort is embarrassed.

Atha satthāni kurute,

Then they lash out with verbal daggers

paravādehi codito;

when reproached by others.

Esa khvassa mahāgedho,

This is their great blind spot;

mosavajjaṁ pagāhati.

they sink to lies.

Paṇḍitoti samaññāto,

They once were considered astute,

ekacariyaṁ adhiṭṭhito;

committed to the solitary life.

Athāpi methune yutto,

But then they indulged in sex,

mandova parikissati.

dragged along by desire like a dullard.

Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā,

Knowing this danger

Muni pubbāpare idha;

in falling from a former state here,

Ekacariyaṁ daḷhaṁ kayirā,

a sage would firmly resolve to wander alone,

Na nisevetha methunaṁ.

and would not resort to sex.

Vivekaññeva sikkhetha,

They’d train themselves only in seclusion;

etaṁ ariyānamuttamaṁ;

this, for the noble ones, is highest.

Na tena seṭṭho maññetha,

One who’d not think themselves ‘best’ due to that

sa ve nibbānasantike.

has truly drawn near to extinguishment.

Rittassa munino carato,

People tied to sensual pleasures envy them:

Kāmesu anapekkhino;

the isolated, wandering sage

Oghatiṇṇassa pihayanti,

who has crossed the flood,

Kāmesu gadhitā pajā”ti.

unconcerned for sensual pleasures.”

Tissametteyyasuttaṁ sattamaṁ.