Kāmaṁ kāmayamānassa, A man attracted to attractions — tassa ce taṁ samijjhati; When in that he finds success — Addhā pītimano hoti, Surely becomes joyful, laddhā macco yadicchati. In gaining what he wished.
Tassa ce kāmayānassa, But when, for one so attracted — chandajātassa jantuno; A person with desire aroused — Te kāmā parihāyanti, Those attractions abandon him sallaviddhova ruppati. It strikes him like a piercing dart.
Yo kāme parivajjeti, Whoever keeps clear of attractions*As stated in [AN 9.42](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an9.42#an9.42:3.2-an9.42:3.9), we are “confined” within things that can arouse desire, so it’s not about trying—[in vain](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn25)—to hide from everything agreeable so as to avoid the snake’s head. It’s about seeing that the trap lies in the passionate intention that would arise towards agreeable things—which are in themselves not the “attraction” as said in AN 6.63. [“Sensuality VS Agreeability”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc9XWIZ64Wc&pp=ygUjc2Vuc3VhbGl0eSB2cyBhZ3JlZWFiaWxpdHkgaGlsbHNpZGU%3D) sappasseva padā siro; As his foot from a snake’s head, Somaṁ visattikaṁ loke, The entanglement in the world sato samativattati. he mindfully surmounts.
Khettaṁ vatthuṁ hiraññaṁ vā, Whether fields, land, gold or cattle, gavāssaṁ dāsaporisaṁ; Horses, slaves, servants, women or family — Thiyo bandhū puthu kāme, All varieties of attractions — yo naro anugijjhati. A man who covets these things,
Abalā naṁ balīyanti, Is overpowered by the powerless, maddantenaṁ parissayā; And crushed by difficulties; Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti, Suffering goes along with him, nāvaṁ bhinnamivodakaṁ. Like water in a cracked boat. *Delight in and acquisition of pleasures is the opening through which suffering flows in. No matter how much effort and clever strategies are employed to remove it, there will be water in the boat for as long as this is not abandoned.
Tasmā jantu sadā sato, Therefore a person, always mindful, Kāmāni parivajjaye; should keep clear of attractions. Te pahāya tare oghaṁ, With these abandoned, he would cross the flood, Nāvaṁ sitvāva pāragūti. As one who would reach the far shore, having bailed out the boat.
Kāmasuttaṁ paṭhamaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=snp4.1