• Heartfelt Sayings 7.3 Udāna 7.3

Clinging (1st) Paṭhamasattasutta

So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Now at that time most of the people in Sāvatthī overly clung to sensual pleasures. Lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, they lived completely addicted to sensual pleasures. Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyā manussā yebhuyyena kāmesu ativelaṁ sattā (…) rattā giddhā gathitā mucchitā ajjhosannā sammattakajātā kāmesu viharanti.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “idha, bhante, sāvatthiyā manussā yebhuyyena kāmesu ativelaṁ sattā rattā giddhā gathitā mucchitā ajjhosannā sammattakajātā kāmesu viharantī”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Clinging to sensual pleasures, <j>to the chains of the senses, “Kāmesu sattā kāmasaṅgasattā, blind to the faults of the fetters, Saṁyojane vajjamapassamānā; clinging to the chain of the fetters, Na hi jātu saṁyojanasaṅgasattā, they’ll never cross the flood so vast.” Oghaṁ tareyyuṁ vipulaṁ mahantan”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.