SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Buddha Describes The Drawbacks From Sensual Pleasures

The Sutta Nipata (literally, “Suttas falling down”) is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. All its suttas, thought to originate from before the Buddha’s parinibbana (nirvana-after-death), consist largely of verse, though some also contain some prose.

Today we will describe the Buddhism manual of the drawbacks of sensual pleasures:

If one, longing for sensual pleasure,

achieves it, yes,

he’s enraptured at heart.

The mortal gets what he wants.

But if for that person

— longing, desiring —

the pleasures diminish,

he’s shattered,

as if shot with an arrow.

Whoever avoids sensual desires

— as he would, with his foot,

the head of a snake —

goes beyond, mindful,

this attachment in the world.

A man who is greedy

for fields, land, gold,

cattle, horses,

servants, employees,

women, relatives,

many sensual pleasures,

is overpowered with weakness

and trampled by trouble,

for pain invades him

as water, a cracked boat.

So one, always mindful,

should avoid sensual desires.

Letting them go,

he’d cross over the flood

like one who,

having bailed out the boat,

has reached the far shore.

-Sutta Nipatta

I think a person should able to enjoy sensual pleasures in the moment, as they happen, and refrain from becoming obsessed, addicted or overcome with desire.

I also think there’s potential risk in continually and purposely avoiding pleasure, that is to create a sort of super focus on it. This might cause more attachment to develop.

That’s why moderation is so important to note. You can’t stop sensual pleasures, but you can do the work required to avoid obsessing them.