Trapped in a cave, thickly overspread, Satto guhāyaṁ bahunābhichanno, sunk in delusion they stay. Tiṭṭhaṁ naro mohanasmiṁ pagāḷho; That sort is far from seclusion, Dūre vivekā hi tathāvidho so, for sensual pleasures in the world <j>are not easy to give up. Kāmā hi loke na hi suppahāyā.

The chains of desire, the bonds of life’s pleasures Icchānidānā bhavasātabaddhā, are hard to escape, for one cannot free another. Te duppamuñcā na hi aññamokkhā; Looking to the past or the future, Pacchā pure vāpi apekkhamānā, they pray for these pleasures or former ones. Ime va kāme purime va jappaṁ.

Greedy, fixated, infatuated by sensual pleasures, Kāmesu giddhā pasutā pamūḷhā, they are incorrigible, habitually immoral. Avadāniyā te visame niviṭṭhā; When led to suffering they lament, Dukkhūpanītā paridevayanti, “What will become of us <j>when we pass away from here?” Kiṁsū bhavissāma ito cutāse.

That’s why a personage should train in this life: Tasmā hi sikkhetha idheva jantu, should you know that anything in the world is wrong, Yaṁ kiñci jaññā visamanti loke; don’t act wrongly on account of that; Na tassa hetū visamaṁ careyya, for the attentive say this life is short. Appañhidaṁ jīvitamāhu dhīrā.

I see the world’s population floundering, Passāmi loke pariphandamānaṁ, given to craving for future lives. Pajaṁ imaṁ taṇhagataṁ bhavesu; Base men wail in the jaws of death, Hīnā narā maccumukhe lapanti, not rid of craving for life after life. Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.

See them flounder over belongings, Mamāyite passatha phandamāne, like fish in puddles of a dried-up stream. Maccheva appodake khīṇasote; Seeing this, live unselfishly, Etampi disvā amamo careyya, forming no attachment to future lives. Bhavesu āsattimakubbamāno.

Rid of desire for both ends, Ubhosu antesu vineyya chandaṁ, having completely understood contact, free of greed, Phassaṁ pariññāya anānugiddho; doing nothing for which they’d blame themselves, Yadattagarahī tadakubbamāno, the attentive don’t cling to the seen and the heard. Na lippatī diṭṭhasutesu dhīro.

Having completely understood perception <j>and having crossed the flood, Saññaṁ pariññā vitareyya oghaṁ, the sage, not clinging to possessions, Pariggahesu muni nopalitto; with dart plucked out, living diligently, Abbūḷhasallo caramappamatto, does not hope for this world or the next. Nāsīsatī lokamimaṁ parañcāti.

Guhaṭṭhakasuttaṁ dutiyaṁ.