1 I was delicate, O bhikkhus, supremely delicate, excessively delicate. Indeed at my father's residence, these lotus ponds were built purposely for me. In one entirely white lotuses were planted, in one red lotuses, in one blue lotuses. I, O bhikkhus, did not wear sandalwood that were not from Kasi. My turbans, O bhikkhus, were from Kasi, my jackets were from Kasi, my inner robes were from Kasi, my outer robes were from Kasi. A white parasol, O bhikkhus, was held over me day and night [with the thought]: “Let neither cold, nor heat, nor grass, nor dust, nor dew touch him.” For me, O bhikkhus, there were three mansions: one for the cold season, one for the hot season, one for the rainy season. During the four months of the rainy season, O bhikkhus, I amused myself in the rainy season mansion with entirely female musicians without descending to the lower floors of the mansion. And just as, O bhikkhus, at other residences, servants, labourers and employees were offered meal of rice husk porridge accompanied with sour gruel, in exactly the same way, O bhikkhus, at my father's residence, servants, labourers and employees were offered meal of fine rice accompanied with meat.

2 Of me being endowed with such great fortune, O bhikkhus, with such delicacy, it occurred to me: “For the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, himself being liable to old age, not exempt [from old age], having seen others who are old, becomes troubled, humiliated, disgusted, having overlooked his own [liability]. But if I, being liable to old age, not exempt [from old age], having seen others who are old, were to become troubled, humiliated, disgusted, that would not be proper for me.” Of me, O bhikkhus, reflecting thus, I abandoned all the youth's intoxication with youth.

3 “For the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, himself being liable to sickness, not exempt [from sickness], having seen others who are sick, becomes troubled, humiliated, disgusted, having overlooked his own [liability]. But if I, being liable to sickness, not exempt [from sickness], having seen others who are sick, were to become troubled, humiliated, disgusted, that would not be proper for me.” Of me, O bhikkhus, reflecting thus, I abandoned all the youth's intoxication with health.

4 “For the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, himself being liable to death, not exempt [from death], having seen others who are dead, becomes troubled, humiliated, disgusted, having overlooked his own [liability]. But if I, being liable to death, not exempt [from death], having seen others who are dead, were to become troubled, humiliated, disgusted, that would not be proper for me.” Of me, O bhikkhus, reflecting thus, I abandoned all the youth's intoxication with life.

5 There are, O bhikkhus, these three intoxications. Which three? Intoxication with youth, intoxication with health, intoxication with life.

6 Being intoxicated with youth, O bhikkhus, the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, conducts himself with bad bodily conduct, he conducts himself with bad verbal conduct, he conducts himself with bad mental conduct. He having conducted himself with bad bodily conduct, having conducted himself with bad verbal conduct, having conducted himself with bad mental conduct, with the breakup of the body, after death, he arises in the lower worlds, an unhappy destination, the woeful plane, hell.

6 Or being intoxicated with health, O bhikkhus, the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, conducts himself with bad bodily conduct, he conducts himself with bad verbal conduct, he conducts himself with bad mental conduct. He having conducted himself with bad bodily conduct, having conducted himself with bad verbal conduct, having conducted himself with bad mental conduct, with the breakup of the body, after death, he arises in the lower worlds, an unhappy destination, the woeful plane, hell.

7 Or being intoxicated with life, O bhikkhus, the Dhamma-deaf puthujjana, conducts himself with bad bodily conduct, he conducts himself with bad verbal conduct, he conducts himself with bad mental conduct. He having conducted himself with bad bodily conduct, having conducted himself with bad verbal conduct, having conducted himself with bad mental conduct, with the breakup of the body, after death, he arises in the lower worlds, an unhappy destination, the woeful plane, hell.

8 “Being intoxicated with youth, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu gives up the training and returns to what is inferior. Or being intoxicated with health, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu gives up the training and returns to what is inferior. Or being intoxicated with life, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu gives up the training and returns to what is inferior.”

Liability to sickness, liability to old age,
then liability to death;
just so do they exist as is their nature,
[yet] the puthujjanas get disgusted.

If I were to be disgusted at this,
among beings of such nature;
this is not proper,
for me to abide in such a way.

That I dwelling thus,
having known the dhamma of ownerlessness;
In health and youth,
in life those who are intoxicated.

I conquered all intoxications,
having seen safety in renunciation;
of me persevering [thus],
I clearly saw nibbana.

Now I am not able,
to engage in sensual pleasures;
totally devoted to celibacy,
I will not turn back.

1 sukhumālo ahaṃ bhikkhave paramasukhumālo. accantasukhumālo. mama sudaṃ bhikkhave pitu nivesane pokkharaṇiyo kāritā honti. ekattha sudaṃ* uppalaṃ pupphati,1 ekattha padumaṃ, ekattha puṇḍarīkaṃ, yāvadeva mamatthāya. na kho panassāhaṃ bhikkhave akāsikaṃ† candanaṃ dhāremi. kāsikaṃ su me taṃ bhikkhave veṭhanaṃ hoti. kāsikā kañcukā, kāsikaṃ nivāsanaṃ, kāsiko uttarāsaṅgo. rattindivaṃ kho panassu2 metaṃ bhikkhave setacchattaṃ dhārīyati, mā naṃ phusi sītaṃ vā uṇhaṃ vā rajo vā tiṇaṃ vā ussāvo vāti. tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave tayo pāsādā ahesuṃ, eko hemantiko, eko gimhiko, eko vassiko. so kho ahaṃ bhikkhave vassike pāsāde vassike cattāro māse nippurisehi tūriyehi paricāriyamāno3 na heṭṭhāpāsādaṃ orohāmi. yathā kho pana bhikkhave aññesaṃ nivesanesu4 dāsakammakaraporisassa kaṇājakaṃ bhojanaṃ dīyati bilaṅgadutiyaṃ, evamevassu me bhikkhave pitu nivesane dāsakammakaraporisassa sālimaṃsodano dīyati.

2 tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave evarūpāya iddhiyā samannāgatassa evarūpena ca sukhumālena etadahosi: ‘assutavā kho puthujjano attanā jarādhammo samāno jaraṃ anatīto paraṃ jiṇṇaṃ disvā aṭṭīyati, harāyati, jigucchati, attānaññeva atiyitvā.5 ahampi khomhi jarādhammo, jaraṃ anatīto. ahaṃ ceva kho pana jarādhammo samāno jaraṃ anatīto, paraṃ jiṇṇaṃ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṃ, harāyeyyaṃ, jiguccheyyaṃ, na me taṃ assa patirūpanti’. tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave iti paṭisañcikkhato yo yobbane yobbanamado, so sabbaso pahīyi.

3 assutavā kho puthujjano attanā vyādhidhammo samāno vyādhiṃ anatīto, paraṃ vyādhitaṃ disvā aṭṭīyati, harāyati, jigucchati, attānaññeva atiyitvā5, ahampi khomhi vyādhidhammo, vyādhiṃ anatīto, ahaṃ ceva kho pana vyādhidhammo samāno vyādhiṃ anatīto, paraṃ vyādhitaṃ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṃ harāyeyyaṃ jiguccheyyaṃ, na me taṃ assa patirūpanti’. tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave iti paṭisañcikkhato yo ārogye ārogyamado, so sabbaso pahīyi.

4 assutavā kho puthujjano attanā maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṃ anatīto paraṃ mataṃ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati, attānaññeva atiyitvā1 ahampi khomhi maraṇadhammo maraṇaṃ anatīto, ahaṃ ceva kho pana maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṃ anatīto paraṃ mataṃ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṃ harāyeyyaṃ jiguccheyyaṃ, na metaṃ assa patirūpanti’. tassa mayhaṃ bhikkhave iti paṭisañcikkhato yo jīvite jīvitamado, so sabbaso pahīyīti.

5 tayo’me bhikkhave madā. katame tayo: yobbanamado, ārogyamado, jīvitamado.

6 yobbanamadamatto vā bhikkhave assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṃ carati, vācāya duccaritaṃ carati, manasā duccaritaṃ carati. so kāyena duccaritaṃ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṃ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati.

6 ārogyamadamatto vā bhikkhave assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṃ carati, vācāya duccaritaṃ carati, manasā duccaritaṃ carati. so kāyena duccaritaṃ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṃ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati.

7 jīvitamadamatto vā bhikkhave assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṃ carati, vācāya duccaritaṃ carati, manasā duccaritaṃ carati. so kāyena duccaritaṃ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṃ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati.

8 yobbanamadamatto vā bhikkhave bhikkhu sikkhaṃ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. ārogyamadamatto vā bhikkhave bhikkhu sikkhaṃ paccakāya hīnāyāvattati, jīvitamadamatto vā bhikkhave bhikkhu sikkhaṃ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattatīti.

vyādhidhammā jarādhammā,
atho maraṇadhammino;
yathā dhammā tathā santā,
jigucchanti puthujjanā.

ahaṃ cetaṃ jiguccheyyaṃ,
evaṃ dhammesu pāṇisu;
na metaṃ patirūpassa,
mama evaṃ vihārino.

sohaṃ evaṃ viharanto,
ñatvā dhammaṃ nirūpadhiṃ;
ārogye yobbanasmiṃ ca,
jīvitasmiṃ ca ye madā.

sabbe made abhibhosmi,
nekkhamme2 daṭṭhu khemataṃ;
tassa me ahu ussāho,
nibbānaṃ abhipassato.

nāhaṃ bhabbo etarahi,
kāmāni paṭisevituṃ;
anivattī bhavissāmi,
brahmacariyaparāyanoti.