UD 6.8  Gaṇikā sutta - Courtesan

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā honti paṭibaddhacittā; bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhaṁ.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo grove, the Squirrels’ feeding ground. At that time, two factions in Rājagaha were |infatuated with::enamoured by [sāratta]| a certain courtesan, |obsessed in their minds::in love with [paṭibaddhacitta]|. Accusing, quarreling, and having fallen into dispute, they assaulted one another with fists, stones, sticks, and knives, encountering death or death-like suffering.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu. Rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then, several bhikkhus, having dressed early in the morning and taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms. Having walked for alms in Rājagaha, and after their meal, they went to the Blessed One. Having approached the Blessed One, they paid homage to him and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One:

“Idha, bhante, rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā paṭibaddhacittā; bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhan”ti.

“Venerable sir, here in Rājagaha, two factions are infatuated with a certain courtesan, obsessed in their minds. Accusing, quarreling, and having fallen into dispute, they assault one another with fists, stones, sticks, and knives, encountering death or death-like suffering.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Yañca pattaṁ yañca pattabbaṁ, ubhayametaṁ rajānukiṇṇaṁ, āturassānusikkhato.
Ye ca sikkhāsārā sīlabbataṁ jīvitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ upaṭṭhānasārā, ayameko anto.
Ye ca evaṁvādino: ‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti, ayaṁ dutiyo anto.
Iccete ubho antā kaṭasivaḍḍhanā, kaṭasiyo diṭṭhiṁ vaḍḍhenti.
Etete ubho ante anabhiññāya olīyanti eke, atidhāvanti eke.
Ye ca kho te abhiññāya tatra ca nāhesuṁ, tena ca nāmaññiṁsu, vaṭṭaṁ tesaṁ natthi paññāpanāyā”ti.

“What has been accomplished and what is to be accomplished—both are strewn with dust for one who practices in line with the |afflicted::unhealthy, diseased [ātura]|.
Those |who regard training rules as the essence::who takes precepts as the core [sikkhāsāra]|—|rules and observances::precepts and practices, ethics and observances, rites and rituals [sīlabbata]|, celibacy, and service as the essence—this is one extreme.
And those who say, ‘There is no |blame::fault, wrong, error, moral mistake, criticism [dosa]| in sensual pleasures,’ this is the other extreme.
Both these extremes |heap up the cemetery::perpetuate the cycle of existence [kaṭasivaḍḍhana]|; and cemeteries cause |views::beliefs, opinions, concepts, theories [diṭṭhi]| to grow.
Without |direct knowledge::experientially understanding [abhiññāya]| both these extremes, some get stuck, while others |overshoot the mark::go too far [atidhāvati]|.
But those who, directly knowing these [two extremes], |do not become::do not take shape [nāhosi]| by them, and |do not define::do not fashion [nāmaññi]| themselves by that—for them, no cycle of existence can be designated.”