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sn.22.28 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Gratification (3)

At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, if there were no gratification in form, beings would not become enamoured with it; but because there is gratification in form, beings become enamoured with it. If there were no danger in form, beings would not experience revulsion towards it; but because there is danger in form, beings experience revulsion towards it. If there were no escape from form, beings would not escape from it; but because there is an escape from form, beings escape from it.

“Bhikkhus, if there were no gratification in feeling … in perception … in volitional formations … in consciousness, beings would not become enamoured with it … but because there is an escape from consciousness, beings escape from it.

“So long, bhikkhus, as beings have not directly known as they really are the gratification as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging, they have not escaped from this world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, from this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans; they have not become detached from it, released from it, nor do they dwell with a mind rid of barriers. But when beings have directly known all this as it really is, then they have escaped from this world with … its devas and humans; they have become detached from it, released from it, and they dwell with a mind rid of barriers.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Gratification (3rd)

At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, if there were no gratification in form, sentient beings wouldn’t be aroused by it.
But since there is gratification in form, sentient beings are aroused by it.
If form had no drawback, sentient beings wouldn’t grow disillusioned with it.
But since form has a drawback, sentient beings do grow disillusioned with it.
If there were no escape from form, sentient beings wouldn’t escape from it.
But since there is an escape from form, sentient beings do escape from it.
If there were no gratification in feeling …
perception …
choices …

consciousness, sentient beings wouldn’t be aroused by it.
But since there is gratification in consciousness, sentient beings are aroused by it.
If consciousness had no drawback, sentient beings wouldn’t grow disillusioned with it.
But since consciousness has a drawback, sentient beings do grow disillusioned with it.
If there were no escape from consciousness, sentient beings wouldn’t escape from it.
But since there is an escape from consciousness, sentient beings do escape from it.
As long as sentient beings don’t truly understand these five grasping aggregates’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, they haven’t escaped from this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—and they don’t live detached, liberated, with a mind free of limits.

But when sentient beings truly understand these five grasping aggregates’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, they’ve escaped from this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—and they live detached, liberated, with a mind free of limits.”