Tipitaka » Sutta
Pitaka » Samyutta Nikaya » Context
of this sutta
- Samyutta Nikaya III.4
- Piya Sutta
- Dear
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King
Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Just now, lord, while I was alone in
seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: 'Who are dear to themselves, and
who are not dear to themselves?' Then it occurred to me: 'Those who engage in bodily
misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct are not dear to themselves. Even
though they may say, "We are dear to ourselves," still they aren't dear to
themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as an enemy would
act toward an enemy; thus they aren't dear to themselves. But those who engage in good
bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct are dear to themselves.
Even though they may say, "We aren't dear to ourselves," still they are dear to
themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as a dear one
would act toward a dear one; thus they are dear to themselves.'"
"That's the way it is, great king! That's the way it is! Those who engage in
bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct are not dear to themselves.
Even though they may say, 'We are dear to ourselves,' still they aren't dear to
themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as an enemy would
act toward an enemy; thus they aren't dear to themselves. But those who engage in good
bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct are dear to themselves.
Even though they may say, 'We aren't dear to ourselves,' still they are dear to
themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as a dear one
would act toward a dear one; thus they are dear to themselves."
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher,
said further:
If you hold yourself dear
then don't fetter yourself
with evil,
for happiness isn't easily gained
by one who commits
a wrong-doing.
When seized by the End-maker
as you abandon the human state,
what's truly your own?
What do you take along when you go?
What follows behind you
like a shadow
that never leaves?
Both the merit & evil
that you as a mortal
perform here:
that's what's truly your own,
what you take along when you go;
that's what follows behind you
like a shadow
that never leaves.
So do what is admirable,
as an accumulation
for the future life.
Deeds of merit are the support for beings
when they arise
in the other world.