5.
The Discourse on Gratification
26.
At Sāvatthī.
"Before the enlightenment, monks, while still unenlightened, being just a Bodhisatta, this occurred to me -
'What indeed is the gratification in matter, what is the danger, what is the escape?
What is the gratification in feeling, what is the danger, what is the escape?
What is the gratification in perception, what is the danger, what is the escape?
What is the gratification in activities, what is the danger, what is the escape?
What is the gratification in consciousness, what is the danger, what is the escape?'
This occurred to me, monks -
'Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on matter, this is the gratification in matter.
That matter is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, this is the danger in matter.
Whatever is the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust regarding matter, this is the escape from matter.
Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on feeling, this is the gratification in feeling.
That feeling is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, this is the danger in feeling.
Whatever is the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust regarding feeling, this is the escape from feeling.
Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on perception, etc.
Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on activities, this is the gratification in activities.
That activities are impermanent, suffering, subject to change, this is the danger in activities.
Whatever is the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust regarding activities, this is the escape from activities.
Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on consciousness, this is the gratification in consciousness.
That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, this is the danger in consciousness.
Whatever is the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust regarding consciousness, this is the escape from consciousness.'
"As long as I, monks, did not directly know as it really is the gratification of these five aggregates of clinging as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape, I did not acknowledge, monks, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, that I had fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. But when I, monks, directly knew as it really is the gratification of these five aggregates of clinging as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape; then I acknowledged, monks, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, that I had fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. And knowledge and vision arose in me - 'Unshakable is my liberation; this is the last birth; there is now no more rebirth.'" The fifth.