MN13 — The Discourse on the Mass of Suffering
The Blessed One said: Disciples, I will teach you about the mass of suffering. Listen carefully and pay close attention.
The Gratification in Desires
Desire is a source of suffering. It arises from ignorance, craving, and attachment to sensual pleasures. When desire arises, it leads to actions that bring harm to oneself or others. This is the danger in desires.
But what is the gratification in desires? Suppose there is a girl of the noble class, the brahmin class, or the householder class, in her fifteenth or sixteenth year, not too tall, not too short, not too thin, not too fat, not too dark, not too fair. At that time, she is at the height of her beauty.
The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on that beauty and appearance constitute the gratification in desires.
The Danger in Desires
But what happens when desire arises? It leads to actions that bring harm to oneself or others. Suppose one were to see that same girl some years later, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old, aged, crooked as a roof bracket, bent, leaning on a staff, trembling as she walks, sick, youth gone, with broken teeth, gray hair, wrinkled skin, blotched limbs.
The danger in desires becomes evident. This is the danger in desires.
The Escape from Desires
It is the removal and abandonment of desire and passion for desires that constitutes the escape from desires.
Disciples, if any ascetics or brahmins do not know as it really is the gratification in desires, the danger in desires, and the escape from desires, they will not themselves fully comprehend desires, nor will they instruct others so that they too fully comprehend desires.
But if any ascetics or brahmins know as it really is the gratification in desires, the danger in desires, and the escape from desires, they will themselves fully comprehend desires, and they will instruct others so that they too fully comprehend desires.
The Gratification in Forms
Forms are a source of suffering. They arise from ignorance, craving, and attachment to sensual pleasures. When forms arise, they lead to actions that bring harm to oneself or others. This is the danger in forms.
But what is the gratification in forms? Suppose there is a girl of the noble class, the brahmin class, or the householder class, in her fifteenth or sixteenth year, not too tall, not too short, not too thin, not too fat, not too dark, not too fair. At that time, she is at the height of her beauty.
The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on that beauty and appearance constitute the gratification in forms.
The Danger in Forms
But what happens when forms arise? They lead to actions that bring harm to oneself or others. Suppose one were to see that same girl some years later, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old, aged, crooked as a roof bracket, bent, leaning on a staff, trembling as she walks, sick, youth gone, with broken teeth, gray hair, wrinkled skin, blotched limbs.
The danger in forms becomes evident. This is the danger in forms.
The Escape from Forms
It is the removal and abandonment of desire and lust for forms that constitutes the escape from forms.
Disciples, whatever ascetics or brahmins do not know as it really is the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of forms, they will not themselves fully comprehend forms, nor will they instruct others so that they can fully comprehend forms.
But whatever ascetics or brahmins do know as it really is the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of forms, they will themselves fully comprehend forms, and they will instruct others so that they can fully comprehend forms.
The Gratification in Feelings
Feelings are a source of suffering. They arise from ignorance, craving, and attachment to sensual pleasures. When feelings arise, they lead to actions that bring harm to oneself or others. This is the danger in feelings.
But what is the gratification in feelings? A disciple enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.
When a disciple enters and dwells in the first jhāna, he does not intend harm for himself, for others, or for both; he feels only a feeling that is free from harm. This is the highest gratification in feelings.
The Danger in Feelings
But what happens when feelings arise? They are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change. This is the danger in feelings.
The Escape from Feelings
It is the removal and abandonment of desire and lust for feelings that constitutes the escape from feelings.
Disciples, whatever ascetics or brahmins do not know as it really is the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of feelings, they will not themselves fully comprehend feelings, nor will they instruct others so that they can fully comprehend feelings.
But whatever ascetics or brahmins do know as it really is the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of feelings, they will themselves fully comprehend feelings, and they will instruct others so that they can fully comprehend feelings.
The Blessed One said this. Satisfied, the disciples delighted in the Blessed One's words.
This is the end of the Discourse on the Mass of Suffering.