100. （一〇〇）苦阴经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in the country of the Śākyas, staying in the garden of the Nyagrodha tree in Kapilavastu.

At that time, Śrī Mahānāman was strolling in the middle of the day and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said, "World-Honored One! I understand the World-Honored One's teachings in this way, which allows me to eliminate the three defilements in my mind: the defilement of a defiled mind, the defilement of an angry mind, and the defilement of a deluded mind. World-Honored One! I understand this teaching in this way, but defiled, angry, and deluded dharmas still arise in my mind. World-Honored One! I think to myself, 'What dharmas have not been eliminated, causing defiled, angry, and deluded dharmas to still arise in my mind?'"

The World-Honored One said, "Mahanama! You have one dharma that has not been eliminated, namely, you dwell at home, without faith, not leaving home, without a family, and not studying the path. Mahanama! If you eliminate this one dharma, you will definitely not dwell at home, you will have faith, leave home, be without a family, and study the path. Because of one dharma that has not been eliminated, you dwell at home, without faith, not leaving home, without a family, and not studying the path."

Then Śrī Mahānāman rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his palms towards the Buddha, and said to the World-Honored One, "I only wish that the World-Honored One would teach the Dharma for me, so that my mind may be purified, doubts removed, and the path attained."

The World-Honored One said, "Mahānāman! There are five kinds of sensual pleasures that are delightful, memorable, joyful, and associated with desire, causing people to be happy. What are the five? They are the eyes knowing forms, the ears knowing sounds, the nose knowing smells, the tongue knowing tastes, and the body knowing tactile objects. These cause the king and his retinue to attain peace, happiness, and joy. Mahānāman! This is the utmost taste of desire, nothing surpasses it, but the suffering is very great.

Mahānāman! What are the sufferings of desire? Mahānāman! A clansman, according to his skills, makes a living. He may farm, engage in commerce, study writing, understand mathematics, know arithmetic, be skilled in carving seals, compose literature, create calligraphy, understand scriptures, become a brave general, or serve the king. When cold, he is cold; when hot, he is hot; hungry, thirsty, tired, bitten by mosquitoes and flies, he engages in such work to seek wealth. Mahānāman! This clansman, with such methods, practices in such ways, and seeks in such ways, if he does not obtain wealth, he will give rise to suffering, sorrow, distress, and delusion, saying, 'In vain I worked hard, but my seeking has no result.' Mahānāman! This clansman, with such methods, practices in such ways, and seeks in such ways, if he obtains wealth, he will then cherish, guard, and hide it. Why? 'I do not want this wealth to be taken by the king, robbed by thieves, burned by fire, rot, or lost. If I spend it, there will be no profit, or if I engage in various activities, they will not be accomplished.' He guards and hides it like this. If it is taken by the king, robbed by thieves, burned by fire, rot, or lost, he will then give rise to suffering, sorrow, distress, and delusion, saying, 'What I have cherished and remembered for a long time is now lost.' Mahānāman! Such present-life suffering aggregates arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, mothers quarrel with their children, children quarrel with their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and relatives quarrel with each other. Having quarreled like this, mothers speak ill of their children, children speak ill of their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and relatives speak ill of each other, let alone others. Mahānāman! This is called the present-life suffering aggregates, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, kings quarrel with other kings, brahmins quarrel with other brahmins, householders quarrel with other householders, commoners quarrel with other commoners, countries quarrel with other countries. Because of this mutual hatred, they harm each other with various weapons, either by punching, throwing stones, beating with sticks, or cutting with swords. When they fight, they may die or be terrified, suffering extreme pain. Mahānāman! This is called the present-life suffering aggregates, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, they put on armor, wear robes, carry spears and bows and arrows, or hold swords and shields, and enter into battle formations. They fight with elephants, horses, chariots, or infantry, or with men and women. When they fight, they may die or be terrified, suffering extreme pain. Mahānāman! This is called the present-life suffering aggregates, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, they put on armor, wear robes, carry spears and bows and arrows, or hold swords and shields, and go to conquer other countries, attacking cities and breaking through walls. They fight each other, beating drums and blowing horns, shouting loudly, or hitting with hammers, spears, sharp wheels, or arrows, or throwing stones, or using large crossbows, or sprinkling molten copper beads. When they fight, they may die or be terrified, suffering extreme pain. Mahānāman! This is called the present-life suffering aggregates, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, they put on armor, wear robes, carry spears and bows and arrows, or hold swords and shields, and enter villages, towns, countries, and cities, digging through walls and opening up hidden treasures to rob and steal. They cut off royal roads, or go to other lanes, destroying villages, harming towns, annihilating countries, and breaking through cities. There, they may be caught by the king's men and tortured in various ways, having their hands and feet cut off, or their hands and feet cut off, their ears and noses cut off, or their ears and noses cut off, or being cut and torn apart, their beards and hair pulled out, or their beards and hair pulled out, or being wrapped in cloth and burned in a fire, or being wrapped in grass and burned in a fire, or being placed in the belly of an iron donkey, or being put in the mouth of an iron pig, or being placed in the mouth of an iron tiger and burned, or being put in an iron cauldron, or being put in an iron pot and boiled, or being cut into pieces, or being pierced with sharp stakes, or being hooked with iron hooks, or being laid on an iron bed and poured with boiling oil, or being seated on an iron mortar and pounded with an iron pestle, or being bitten by dragons and snakes, or being whipped with whips, or being beaten with sticks, or being struck with clubs, or being impaled alive on a high pole, or having their heads cut off. There, they may die or be terrified, suffering extreme pain. Mahānāman! This is called the present-life suffering aggregates, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, they engage in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind. Later, when they are sick and lying in bed, or sitting or lying on the ground, suffering afflicts their bodies, causing them to experience extremely painful and unpleasant feelings. If they have engaged in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, then at the time of death, those things will come before them and cover them, just as when the sun is about to set, the shadow of a large mountain covers the ground. In the same way, if they have engaged in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, then at the time of death, those things will come before them and cover them. They will think: 'My past bad conduct is coming before me and covering me. I did not do any meritorious deeds, but only bad deeds. If there were a place where people who do evil and are violent only do evil and not meritorious deeds, do not practice good, have no fear, no refuge, and no place to go, then I will definitely be born there.' From this, they will have regret. Those who regret will die unwholesomely and without merit.

Mahānāman! Furthermore, because beings arise from desire, are conditioned by desire, and have desire as their basis, they engage in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind. Due to their bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, when their bodies disintegrate and their lives end, they will definitely go to a bad place and be born in hell. Mahānāman! This is called the suffering aggregates of the next life, arising from desire, conditioned by desire, and having desire as their basis.

Mahānāman! Therefore, know that desire is entirely without pleasure and has immeasurable suffering and harm. If the learned noble disciples do not see it as it truly is, they will be covered by desire and will not attain the pleasure of renunciation and the unsurpassed peace. Mahānāman! Thus, the learned noble disciples regress due to desire. Mahānāman! I know that desire is without pleasure and has immeasurable suffering and harm. Having known it as it truly is, Mahānāman! I am not covered by desire, nor am I bound by evil. I have attained the pleasure of renunciation and the unsurpassed peace. Mahānāman! Therefore, I do not regress due to desire.

Mahānāman! Once, while wandering in Rājagṛha, I stayed at the Seven-Leaf Hut of the Rishis on Mount Vipula. Mahānāman! In the afternoon, I arose from meditation and went to the Broad Mountain, where I saw many Nirgranthas standing and not sitting, undergoing extreme suffering. I asked them, 'Nirgranthas! Why do you practice this standing and not sitting, undergoing such suffering?' They replied, 'Gautama! We have a teacher named Nirgrantha, who teaches us thus: "Nirgranthas! If you have unwholesome karma from past lives, by practicing this suffering, it will surely be exhausted. If you now guard the wholesome conduct of body, speech, and mind, because of this, you will not create any more unwholesome karma."'

Mahānāman! I further asked, 'Nirgranthas! Do you have faith in your teacher without doubt?' They again replied, 'Yes, Gautama! We have faith in our teacher without doubt.' Mahānāman! I further asked, 'Nirgrantha! If so, your teacher Nirgrantha previously committed heavy unwholesome karma. He was born as a Nirgrantha in his past life, and now he has renounced the householder life and become a Nirgrantha, practicing standing and not sitting, undergoing such suffering, just like you and your disciples.' They again said to me, 'Gautama! Happiness does not arise from happiness but from suffering. The happiness of King Bimbisāra is not as good as that of the śramaṇa Gautama.'

I further said, 'You are foolish and deluded, speaking without meaning. Why is that? You are unwholesome, ignorant, and do not know the right time. You say that the happiness of King Bimbisāra is not as good as that of the śramaṇa Gautama. Nirgrantha! You should have asked thus: Who is happier, King Bimbisāra or the śramaṇa Gautama? Nirgrantha! If I say that my happiness is superior and that of King Bimbisāra is not as good, then you can say that the happiness of King Bimbisāra is not as good as that of the śramaṇa Gautama.' Those Nirgranthas then said, 'Gautama! We now ask the śramaṇa Gautama: Who is happier, King Bimbisāra or the śramaṇa Gautama?' I further said, 'Nirgrantha! I now ask you, answer as you understand. Nirgranthas! What do you think? Can King Bimbisāra attain the joy and happiness of silent meditation for seven days and seven nights?' The Nirgranthas replied, 'No, Gautama!' 'For six, five, four, three, two, or one day and night?' The Nirgranthas replied, 'No, Gautama!' I further asked, 'Nirgrantha! Can I attain the joy and happiness of silent meditation for one day and night?' The Nirgranthas replied, 'Yes, Gautama!' 'For two, three, four, five, six, or seven days and seven nights?' The Nirgranthas replied, 'Yes, Gautama!' I further asked, 'Nirgranthas! What do you think? Who is happier, King Bimbisāra or I?' The Nirgranthas replied, 'Gautama! According to our understanding of what the śramaṇa Gautama has said, the śramaṇa Gautama's happiness is superior and that of King Bimbisāra is not as good.

"Mahānāman! For this reason, I know that desire is without happiness and has immeasurable suffering. If the learned noble disciples do not see it as it truly is, they will be covered by desire, bound by evil and unwholesome dharmas, and will not attain the happiness of renunciation and the unsurpassed tranquility. Mahānāman! Thus, the learned noble disciples will regress due to desire. Mahānāman! I know that desire is without happiness and has immeasurable suffering. Having known it as it truly is, I am not covered by desire, nor bound by evil and unwholesome dharmas, and I have attained the happiness of renunciation and the unsurpassed tranquility. Mahānāman! Therefore, I do not regress due to desire."

The Buddha spoke thus. Mahānāman and the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.