[211] "'Sensual pleasures give little gratification, much suffering (dukkha), much despair; the danger (ādīnava) here is still greater' — even if, Mahānāma, this has been well seen by a noble disciple as it really is with right wisdom, yet so long as he does not attain the rapture (pīti) and happiness that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, then he is not yet one who does not revert to sensual pleasures. But when, Mahānāma, it has been well seen by a noble disciple as it really is with right wisdom that 'sensual pleasures give little gratification, much suffering, much despair; the danger here is still greater,' and he attains the rapture and happiness that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, then he is one who does not revert to sensual pleasures.
"I too, Mahānāma, before my awakening, while I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, had well seen as it really is with right wisdom that 'sensual pleasures give little gratification, much suffering, much despair; the danger here is still greater'; yet so long as I did not attain the rapture and happiness that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or something more peaceful than that, I did not yet claim to be one who would not revert to sensual pleasures. But when, Mahānāma, it had been well seen by me as it really is with right wisdom that 'sensual pleasures give little gratification, much suffering, much despair; the danger here is still greater,' and I attained the rapture and happiness that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, and something more peaceful than that, then I claimed to be one who would not revert to sensual pleasures."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.