‘I have not seen the drawback in sensual pleasures, nor have I frequently practiced seeing that’ (From AN 9.41)
>When the householder Tapussa finds renunciation daunting like a steep cliff, the Buddha recounts his pre-awakening struggle, explaining how seeing the drawbacks and benefits enabled him to master the first jhāna.
Iris garden, Hiroshige Horikiri, c. 1857
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Mallas, in a town of the Mallas named Uruvelakappa.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed early in the morning, taking his alms bowl and outer robe, entered Uruvelakappa for alms. After going for alms in Uruvelakappa and returning from his alms round after his meal, he addressed the venerable Ānanda: “Stay right here for now, Ānanda, while I enter deep into the Great Forest for the day’s abiding.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having entered deep into the Great Forest, sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.
Then the householder Tapussa approached the venerable Ānanda; having approached, he paid homage to the venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the householder Tapussa said to the venerable Ānanda:
“We, venerable Ānanda, are householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, who delight in sensual pleasures, revel in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures. To us householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, delight in sensual pleasures, revel in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures, this appears like a sheer cliff, namely renunciation. Yet I have heard this, venerable sir: ‘In this Dhamma and Vinaya, the minds of even very young bhikkhus leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful.’ This renunciation, venerable sir, is where the bhikkhus in this Dhamma and Vinaya differ from the multitude of people.”
“There is indeed something here, householder, that ought to be laid before the Blessed One. Come, householder, let us go to the Blessed One and report this matter to him. In whatever way the Blessed One explains it, that is how we should remember it.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the householder Tapussa replied to the venerable Ānanda. Then the venerable Ānanda, together with the householder Tapussa, approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, this householder Tapussa says: ‘We, venerable Ānanda, are householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, who delight in sensual pleasures, revel in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures. To us householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, delight in sensual pleasures, revel in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures, this appears like a sheer cliff, namely renunciation. Yet I have heard this, venerable sir: “In this Dhamma and Vinaya, the minds of even very young bhikkhus leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful.” This renunciation, venerable sir, is where the bhikkhus in this Dhamma and Vinaya differ from the multitude of people.’”
Sensual desire
“So it is, Ānanda! So it is, Ānanda! Before my full awakening, while I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me: ‘Renunciation is good, seclusion is good.’ Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful. Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘What is the cause, what is the condition, due to which my mind does not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful?’ Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘I have not seen the drawback in sensual pleasures, nor have I frequently practiced [seeing] that; and I have not attained the benefit of renunciation, nor have I persistently practiced it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful.’ Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘If I were to see the drawback in sensual pleasures and frequently practice [seeing] that, and if I were to attain the benefit of renunciation and persistently practice it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful.’ Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the drawback in sensual pleasures, I frequently practiced [seeing] that; and having attained the benefit of renunciation, I persistently practiced it. Then my mind leaped forward, became confident, steady, and free in renunciation, seeing it as peaceful. Thus, Ānanda, entirely secluded from sensual pleasures and unwholesome mental states, I entered and dwelled in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, born of seclusion, and imbued with uplifting joy and pleasure. While I was dwelling in that abiding, Ānanda, perceptions and inclinations accompanied by sensual desire overwhelmed me. That was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for someone experiencing pleasure only to their affliction, so too, perceptions and inclinations accompanied by sensual desire overwhelmed me. That was an affliction for me.
Thought
Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘What if, with the settling of thought and examination, I were to enter and dwell in the second jhāna?’ Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in the absence of thought, seeing it as peaceful. Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘What is the cause, what is the condition, due to which my mind does not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in the absence of thought, seeing it as peaceful?’ Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘I have not seen the drawback in thoughts, nor have I frequently practiced [seeing] that; and I have not attained the benefit of being without thought, nor have I persistently practiced it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in the absence of thought, seeing it as peaceful.’ Then it occurred to me, Ānanda: ‘If I were to see the drawback in thoughts and frequently practice [seeing] that, and if I were to attain the benefit of being without thought and persistently practice it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward, become confident, steady, and free in the absence of thought, seeing it as peaceful.’ Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the drawback in thoughts, I frequently practiced [seeing] that; and having attained the benefit of being without thought, I persistently practiced it. Then my mind leaped forward, became confident, steady, and free in the absence of thought, seeing it as peaceful. Thus, Ānanda, with the settling of thought and examination ... [and so on] ... I entered and dwelled in the second jhāna. While I was dwelling in that abiding, Ānanda, perceptions and inclinations accompanied by thought overwhelmed me. That was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for someone experiencing pleasure only to their affliction, so too, perceptions and inclinations accompanied by thought overwhelmed me. That was an affliction for me.
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Key Terms:
- Mallas [mallā] ≈ name of the people of Malla, Mallans; lit. wrestlers
- Great Forest [mahāvana] ≈ name of a forest; lit. great forest
- renunciation [nekkhamma] ≈ going out state, rejection of sensual pleasure
- Dhamma [dhamma] ≈ teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth
- Vinaya [vinaya] ≈ code of monastic discipline rules, training
- Bodhisatta [bodhisatta] ≈ Buddha before his awakening, aspirant Buddha
- drawback [ādīnava] ≈ disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger
- unwholesome [akusala] ≈ unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable
- accompanied by thought [savitakka] ≈ with thinking, with reflection
- examination [savicāra] ≈ with investigation, evaluation
- born of seclusion [vivekaja] ≈ secluded from the defilements
- uplifting joy and pleasure [pītisukha] ≈ delight and ease; sometimes experienced as ecstasy, intense exhilaration or rapture
- perceptions and inclinations [saññāmanasikārā] ≈ attention driven by knowing-together
- overwhelmed [samudācarati] ≈ assailed, frequented
Related Teachings:
- ‘The ascetic Gotama is a destroyer of spiritual growth‘ - Māgaṇḍiya sutta (MN 75) - The wanderer Māgaṇḍiya holds the view that sensual indulgence is spiritual growth and harshly criticizes the Buddha for teaching sense restraint, calling him a destroyer of spiritual growth. The Buddha skilfully reveals the true nature of sensual pleasures through vivid similes such as a leper finding relief by scorching himself over burning embers and a blind man mistaking a filthy rag for a spotless white cloth.
- Indulging in sensual pleasures, they do not go beyond cyclic existence (ITI 95) - The Buddha describes three kinds of beings who partake in sensual pleasures - 1) those who enjoy what is presently available, 2) those who delight in their own creations, and 3) those who wield power over the creations of others.
- For one craving sensual pleasures - Kāmasutta (SnP 4.1) - In this teaching, the Buddha succinctly shares the allure and the drawbacks of desiring sensual pleasures.
- Seven similes on sensual pleasures (From MN 54) - When the householder Potaliya claims he has “cut off all dealings” by retiring, the Buddha explains that true renunciation lies not in abandoning possessions. Then through seven vivid similes, the Buddha reveals the futility of pursuing sensual pleasures, comparing them to a skeleton, a piece of meat, a blazing grass torch, a pit of burning embers, a dream, borrowed goods, and akin to fruits on a tree.
