SA194: Delight in Suffering

From the Saṃyukta Āgama, translated from the Chinese by Charles Patton.

Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “If someone’s delight arises from the eye, then their delight arises from suffering. If someone’s delight arises from suffering, I say they are not liberated from suffering. If someone’s delight arises from the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, then their delight arises from suffering. If someone’s delight arises from suffering, I say they are not liberated from suffering.

“Monks, if someone’s delight doesn’t arise from the eye, then their delight doesn’t arise from suffering. If someone’s delight doesn’t arise from suffering, I say they are liberated from suffering. If someone’s delight doesn’t arise from the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, then their delight doesn’t arise from suffering. If someone’s delight doesn’t arise from suffering, I say they are liberated from suffering.”

After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Translated from the Chinese by Charles Patton for Dharma Pearls, released under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Source text via SuttaCentral.