Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ II: Paññāsaka Dutiya
5. Saḷa Vagga
Sutta 97
Pamāda-Vihāri Suttaṃ
Living Dangerously
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting.
There he addressed the beggars gathered round saying:
"Bhikkhus!"
And "Bhaghava!" the beggars responded.
Then The Lucky Man said:
"I will delineate for you, beggars,
living dangerously
and living carefully.
Listen up!
Pay attention!
I will speak!"
"Even so, Bhante!" replied the bhikkhus.
The Lucky Man said this:
"And how, beggars is there 'living dangerously?'
Living with the eye-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved[1]
from the eye's-consciousness of shapes.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
■
Living with the ear-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved
from the ear's-consciousness of sounds.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
■
Living with the nose-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved
from the nose's-consciousness of scents.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
■
Living with the tongue-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved
from the tongue's-consciousness of savours.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
■
Living with the body-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved
from the body's-consciousness of touch.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
■
Living with the mind-force uncontrolled, beggars,
the heart is unrelieved
from the mind's-consciousness of things.
As such, the unrelieved heart has no enjoyment.
Not being joyful,
no enthusiasm is had.
Not being enthusiastic
no impassivity is had.
Not being impassive
living is painful.
A heart in pain is not serene.
Without serenity
things do not become clear to the heart.
With things being unclear
you thus get a measure of living dangerously.
This, beggars is how there is 'living dangerously?'
§
And how, beggars is there 'living carefully?'
Living with the eye-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived
from the eye's-consciousness of shapes.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
■
Living with the ear-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived from the ear's-consciousness of sounds.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
■
Living with the nose-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived from the nose's-consciousness of scents.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
■
Living with the tongue-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived from the tongue's-consciousness of tastes.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
■
Living with the body-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived from the body's-consciousness of touch.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
■
Living with the mind-force controlled, beggars,
the heart is relived from the mind's-consciousness of things.
As such, enjoyment is born
in the relived heart.
With joy, enthusiasm is born.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body experiences impassivity.
Impassive in body,
pleasure is experienced.
A pleased heart
has arrived at serenity.
Serene in heart,
things become clear.
Things being clear,
you thus get a measure of living carefully.
This, beggars is how there is 'living carefully.'"
[1] (na) vyāsiñcati. Alternatively (and more precisely): "... the heart is (is not) pissed on by the eye's-consciousness of shapes."
