[478] Bhikkhus, I was delicately nurtured (sukhumāla), most delicately nurtured, extremely delicately nurtured. In my father's residence, bhikkhus, lotus ponds were made: in one, blue lotuses (uppala) were planted, in one red lotuses (paduma), in one white lotuses (puṇḍarīka) — solely for my sake. And I used no sandalwood, bhikkhus, that was not from Kāsi; my turban was of Kāsi cloth, my jacket of Kāsi cloth, my lower garment of Kāsi cloth, my upper garment of Kāsi cloth. By night and by day, bhikkhus, a white parasol was held over me, with the thought: "Let neither cold nor heat, nor dust, nor grass, nor dew [touch] him." I had three mansions, bhikkhus: one for the winter, one for the summer, one for the rainy season. During the four months of the rains, bhikkhus, being entertained in the rainy-season mansion by musicians none of whom were men, I did not come down to the lower part of the mansion. And whereas in the residences of others, bhikkhus, broken rice accompanied by sour gruel is given to the slaves, workers, and servants, in my father's residence rice of the sāli variety with meat was given to the slaves, workers, and servants.
Bhikkhus, endowed with such prosperity, and being so extremely delicately nurtured, this occurred to me: "An uninstructed worldling, though himself subject to aging, not having gone beyond aging, when he sees another who is aged, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking his own situation: 'I too am subject to aging, not gone beyond aging.' Now if I, being myself subject to aging, not having gone beyond aging, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted on seeing another who is aged, that would not be fitting for me." Bhikkhus, as I reflected thus, the intoxication (mada) with youth that there is in youth was entirely abandoned.
"An uninstructed worldling, though himself subject to illness, not having gone beyond illness, when he sees another who is ill, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking his own situation: 'I too am subject to illness, not gone beyond illness.' Now if I, being myself subject to illness, not having gone beyond illness, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted on seeing another who is ill, that would not be fitting for me." Bhikkhus, as I reflected thus, the intoxication with health that there is in health was entirely abandoned.
"An uninstructed worldling, though himself subject to death, not having gone beyond death, when he sees another who has died, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking his own situation: 'I too am subject to death, not gone beyond death.' Now if I, being myself subject to death, not having gone beyond death, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted on seeing another who has died, that would not be fitting for me." Bhikkhus, as I reflected thus, the intoxication with life that there is in life was entirely abandoned.
Bhikkhus, there are these three intoxications. What three? The intoxication with youth, the intoxication with health, and the intoxication with life. Bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling, intoxicated with the intoxication of youth, engages in misconduct by body, engages in misconduct by speech, engages in misconduct by mind. Having engaged in misconduct by body, having engaged in misconduct by speech, having engaged in misconduct by mind, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the state of loss, the bad destination, the lower world, hell. Bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling, intoxicated with the intoxication of health … Bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling, intoxicated with the intoxication of life, engages in misconduct by body, engages in misconduct by speech, engages in misconduct by mind. Having engaged in misconduct by body, having engaged in misconduct by speech, having engaged in misconduct by mind, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the state of loss, the bad destination, the lower world, hell. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu intoxicated with the intoxication of youth renounces the training and returns to the lower life; bhikkhus, a bhikkhu intoxicated with the intoxication of health renounces the training and returns to the lower life; bhikkhus, a bhikkhu intoxicated with the intoxication of life renounces the training and returns to the lower life.
Subject to illness, subject to aging,
and likewise subject to death —
worldlings are disgusted by others
who exist just as their nature is.
If I were to be disgusted
at beings whose nature is thus,
that would not be fitting for me,
living as I do.
Living thus, having known
the state that is free of acquisitions (nirūpadhi),
I overcame all intoxications —
the intoxication with health,
with youth, and with life —
having seen renunciation as security.
Zeal arose in me
as I clearly beheld Nibbāna;
now I am incapable
of indulging in sensual pleasures.
I shall not turn back,
having the holy life as my final goal.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.