Soṇavaggo
5-4: Kumārakasuttaṁ (44)
The Discourse about the Young Boys
Evaṁ me sutaṁ:
Thus I heard:
ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati,
at one time the Fortunate One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā kumārakā
Then at that time many young boys
antarā ca Sāvatthiṁ antarā ca Jetavanaṁ macchake bādhenti.
who were between Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Wood were catching little fish.
Atha kho Bhagavā, pubbanhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā,
Then the Fortunate One, having dressed in the morning time,
pattacīvaram-ādāya, Sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
after picking up his bowl and robe, was entering Sāvatthī for alms.
Addasā kho Bhagavā sambahule kumārake
The Fortunate One saw those many young boys
antarā ca Sāvatthiṁ antarā ca Jetavanaṁ macchake bādhente.
who were between Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Wood catching fish.
Disvāna, yena te kumārakā tenupasaṅkami,
Having seen (that), he went to those young boys,
upasaṅkamitvā te kumārake etad-avoca:
and after going, he said this to those young boys:
“Bhāyatha tumhe kumārakā dukkhassa? Appiyaṁ vo dukkhan?”-ti.
“Are you afraid, boys, of suffering? Is suffering unpleasant to you?”
“Evaṁ bhante bhāyāma mayaṁ dukkhassa, appiyaṁ no dukkhan”-ti.
“Yes, reverend Sir, we are afraid of suffering, suffering is unpleasant to us.”
Atha kho Bhagavā, etam-atthaṁ viditvā,
Then the Fortunate One, having understood the significance of it,
tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:
“Sace bhāyatha dukkhassa,
“If you have fear of suffering, ~ if suffering is unpleasant to you,
Mākattha pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, ~ āvi vā yadi vā raho.
Don't do (any) bad deeds, ~ whether in the open or in secret.
Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ ~ karissatha karotha vā,
But if you will do, or (now) do do bad deeds,
Na vo dukkhā pamuttyatthi, ~ upecca According to Masefield in Be there is a note:
For you there is no freedom from suffering, ~ even after going, while running away.”