SN 22.65

Abhinandamānasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena …pe… pahitatto vihareyyan”ti. “Abhinandamāno kho, bhikkhu, baddho mārassa; anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato”ti. “Aññātaṁ, bhagavā, aññātaṁ, sugatā”ti.

When You Take Pleasure

At Sāvatthī. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “When you take pleasure, mendicant, you’re bound by Māra. Not taking pleasure, you’re free from the Wicked One.” “Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Holy One!”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsī”ti? “Rūpaṁ kho, bhante, abhinandamāno baddho mārassa; anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato. Vedanaṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ abhinandamāno baddho mārassa; anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato. Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.

“But how do you see the detailed meaning of my brief statement?” “Sir, when you take pleasure in form you’re bound by Māra. Not taking pleasure, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you take pleasure in feeling … perception … choices … consciousness you’re bound by Māra. Not taking pleasure, you’re free from the Wicked One. That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi. Rūpaṁ kho, bhikkhu, abhinandamāno baddho mārassa; anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato. Vedanaṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ abhinandamāno baddho mārassa; anabhinandamāno mutto pāpimato. Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti …pe… aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

“Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this. When you take pleasure in form you’re bound by Māra. Not taking pleasure, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you take pleasure in feeling … perception … choices … consciousness you’re bound by Māra. Not taking pleasure, you’re free from the Wicked One. This is how to see the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.” … And that mendicant became one of the perfected.