Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘kesaṁ nu kho piyo attā, kesaṁ appiyo attā’ti?
Once, King Pasenadi of Kosala was sitting to one side, and he said to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind: ‘Who are dear to themselves, and who are not dear to themselves?'”
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘ye ca kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ appiyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: “piyo no attā”ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā’. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā.
Then it occurred to me, venerable sir: “Those who engage in misconduct by body, speech, and mind; they are not dear to themselves. Even though they might say, ‘We are dear to ourselves,’ still, they are not dear to themselves. Why is that? Because whatever a person who is not dear to themselves would do to someone who is not dear to them, they do just that to themselves. Therefore, they are not dear to themselves.
Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ piyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘appiyo no attā’ti; atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā”ti.
But those who engage in good conduct by body, speech, and mind; they are dear to themselves. Even though they might say, ‘We are not dear to ourselves,’ still, they are dear to themselves. Why is that? Because whatever a person who is dear to themselves would do to someone who is dear to them, they do just that to themselves. Therefore, they are dear to themselves.”
“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘piyo no attā’ti, atha kho tesaṁ appiyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi, mahārāja, appiyo appiyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ appiyo attā.
“That is how it is, great king, that is how it is, great king. Those who engage in misconduct by body, speech, and mind; they are not dear to themselves. Even though they might say, ‘We are dear to ourselves,’ still, they are not dear to themselves. Why is that? Because whatever a person who is not dear to themselves would do to someone who is not dear to them, they do just that to themselves. Therefore, they are not dear to themselves.
Ye ca kho keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ piyo attā. Kiñcāpi te evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘appiyo no attā’ti; atha kho tesaṁ piyo attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi, mahārāja, piyo piyassa kareyya, taṁ te attanāva attano karonti; tasmā tesaṁ piyo attā”ti.
But those who engage in good conduct by body, speech, and mind; they are dear to themselves. Even though they might say, ‘We are not dear to ourselves,’ still, they are dear to themselves. Why is that? Because whatever a person who is dear to themselves would do to someone who is dear to them, they do just that to themselves. Therefore, they are dear to themselves.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
“Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,
na naṁ pāpena saṁyuje;
Na hi taṁ sulabhaṁ hoti,
sukhaṁ dukkaṭakārinā.
“If one perceives oneself as dear,
One should not associate with evil actions.
It is not easy to achieve happiness,
For one who does harmful actions.
Antakenādhipannassa,
jahato mānusaṁ bhavaṁ;
Kiñhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,
kiñca ādāya gacchati;
Kiñcassa anugaṁ hoti,
chāyāva anapāyinī.
Overcome by the |end-maker::death|,
Having abandoned the human existence,
What does one have as their own?
What do they take when they go?
What follows them like a shadow
That never departs?
Ubho puññañca pāpañca,
yaṁ macco kurute idha;
Tañhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,
taṁva ādāya gacchati;
Taṁvassa anugaṁ hoti,
chāyāva anapāyinī.
Both good and evil,
Whatever a mortal does here,
That is what is truly theirs,
That is what they take when they go,
That is what follows them
Like a shadow that never departs.
Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ,
nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ;
Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,
patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.
Therefore, one should do good deeds,
A collection for the future life.
Merits are the support for beings,
[when they arise] in the next world.”