伏婬經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, in the country of Sāvatthī.

At that time the lay disciple Anāthapiṇḍika went to the place of the Bhagavā, bowed his head at the feet of the Bhagavā, and then stood to one side. Having stood to one side, the lay disciple Anāthapiṇḍika addressed the Bhagavā:

"O Bhagavā, how many kinds of persons who enjoy sense pleasures are there in the world?"

The Buddha said:

"Householder, in the world there are ten kinds of persons who enjoy sense pleasures. What are the ten?

"Householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth unrighteously. Having sought wealth unrighteously, because he has no means, he suffers; he is not able to nourish himself in peace and security, nor is he able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his servants and helpers; nor does he make offerings to recluses and brahmins, nor does he do beneficial deeds, good deeds whereby he might be reborn in heaven. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth unrighteously. Having sought wealth unrighteously, he is then able to nourish himself in peace, and also nourishes his father and mother, his wife and children, his helpers and servants; but he does not make offerings to recluses and brahmins, nor does he do good deeds whereby he might obtain a good body and be reborn in a good place. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth unrighteously. Having sought wealth unrighteously, he is able to nourish himself in peace, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his helpers and servants; and he also makes offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby he might obtain a fine body and be reborn in a fine place. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth righteously and properly. Having sought wealth righteously, he does not nourish himself for his own ease and happiness, nor is he able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, nor does he make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth and riches righteously and properly. Having sought wealth and riches righteously and properly, he is able to nourish himself in ease and happiness, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, but he does not make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby he might obtain a fine body and be reborn in a good destination. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth and riches righteously and properly. Having sought wealth and riches righteously and properly, he is able to nourish his own body in ease and happiness, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants; and he also makes offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth both righteously and unrighteously. Having sought wealth both righteously and unrighteously, he is not able to nourish his own body in ease and happiness, nor is he able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, nor does he make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth both righteously and unrighteously. Having sought wealth both righteously and unrighteously, he nourishes his own body in ease and happiness, and also nourishes his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, but he does not make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth both righteously and unrighteously. Having sought wealth both righteously and unrighteously. Having finished seeking wealth both righteously and unrighteously, he is able to nourish his own body in ease and happiness, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, and he also makes offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good deeds whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination.

Having obtained wealth and riches, he becomes infatuated and defiled by it, utterly attached, not seeing the calamity and the change therein, nor knowing how to relinquish that greed. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Again, householder, there is a kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth and riches both righteously and unrighteously. Having finished seeking wealth and riches both righteously and unrighteously, he nourishes himself in peace and security, and also nourishes his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants; and he also makes offerings to recluses and brahmins and performs meritorious deeds whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination.

Having obtained wealth and riches, he is neither defiled nor attached, nor does he find delight therein, nor does he abide therein, but knows it to be a calamity and subject to change; he is able to cast off the greed and attachment to wealth. Thus, householder, this is one kind of person who enjoys sense pleasures.

"Householder, there is one who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth unrighteously. Having sought wealth unrighteously, he is not able to nourish himself in peace and security, nor is he able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants in peace and security, nor does he make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Householder, such a one who enjoys sense pleasures, compared with the other persons who enjoy sense pleasures, I declare to be the lowest and the basest.

"Householder, if there is a person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth unrighteously. Having sought wealth unrighteously, he is able to nourish himself in peace and security, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants, but he does not make offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination. Householder, this one who enjoys sense pleasures, compared with the other persons who enjoy sense pleasures, has a little more that is excellent.

"Householder, if there is a person who enjoys sense pleasures and seeks wealth righteously. Having sought wealth righteously, he is able to nourish himself in ease and happiness, and is also able to nourish his father and mother, his wife and children, his slaves and servants; and he also makes offerings to recluses and brahmins, doing good whereby his body might become fine and he might be reborn in a good destination.

Having obtained wealth, he is not defiled, not attached, does not hoard it, is not infatuated with it, knows it to be a calamity, and relinquishes it when making use of it. Thus, householder, this one who enjoys sense pleasures, compared with the other persons who enjoy sense pleasures, is the foremost, the most excellent, the highest, the finest, the unsurpassed. Householder, just as from a cow there is milk, from milk there is curds, from curds there is ghee, from ghee there is butter-cream, and from butter-cream there is the essence of ghee — this is the foremost, the most excellent, the unsurpassed — in the very same way, householder, among those who enjoy sense pleasures, this kind of one who enjoys sense pleasures is the foremost, the most excellent, the supremely excellent,

the highest, the unsurpassed of the unsurpassed.

He spoke a verse, saying:

If he earns wealth unrighteously,

Makes no offerings, and does not use it,

In both respects he is miserly.

If he earns wealth righteously,

Makes offerings and makes use of it,

In both respects he is undefiled.

He is able to practice wisdom,

Knows contentment, sees the calamity;

That one possesses wisdom.

In accordance with the Dharma, giving in accordance with the Dharma,

If he does not give, does not make merit,

Evil conduct devours such a one.

Wishing to give, to make merit,

He also performs deeds of merit and virtue;

They are all endowed in this way.

The one who enjoys sense pleasures in accord with such conduct,

Who makes use of wealth yet knows moderation,

Is the most excellent of those who enjoy sense pleasures.

Thus spoke the Buddha. When the lay disciple Anāthapiṇḍika had heard what the Buddha, the Bhagavā, had taught, he was joyful and delighted.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SUTRA ON THOSE WHO ENJOY SENSE PLEASURES