[725] **"Having seen the danger (ādīnava) in the strands of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇā)"** — for this has been said by the Blessed One:
"And what, bhikkhus, is the danger of sensual pleasures (kāmā)? Here, bhikkhus, a clansman (kulaputta) makes his living by some sphere of craft — whether by reckoning on the fingers, by accounting, by calculation, by farming, by trade, by cattle-herding, by archery, by royal service, or by whatever craft it may be — facing cold, facing heat, being afflicted by contact with gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, perishing from hunger and thirst. This, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"If, bhikkhus, while that clansman thus exerts himself, strives, and endeavours, those riches do not come to fruition, he sorrows, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, and falls into confusion: 'In vain, alas, was my exertion; fruitless, alas, was my endeavour!' This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"If, bhikkhus, while that clansman thus exerts himself, strives, and endeavours, those riches do come to fruition, he experiences pain and grief on account of guarding those riches: 'How shall neither kings carry off my riches, nor thieves carry them off, nor fire burn them, nor water sweep them away, nor unloved heirs carry them off?' While he thus guards and protects them, kings carry off those riches, or thieves carry them off, or fire burns them, or water sweeps them away, or unloved heirs carry them off. He sorrows … falls into confusion: 'Even what was mine is no more!' This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"Again, bhikkhus, with sensual pleasures as cause, with sensual pleasures as source, with sensual pleasures as basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures — kings dispute with kings, khattiyas dispute with khattiyas, brahmins dispute with brahmins, householders dispute with householders; mother disputes with son, son disputes with mother; father disputes with son, son disputes with father; brother disputes with sister, sister disputes with brother; friend disputes with friend. Having there fallen into quarrel and dispute, they attack one another with fists, attack with clods, attack with sticks, attack with weapons. There they incur death, and suffering tantamount to death. This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"Again, bhikkhus, with sensual pleasures as cause, with sensual pleasures as source, with sensual pleasures as basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures — having taken up sword and shield, having girded on bow and quiver, they charge into battle arrayed on both sides, while arrows are being shot, spears are being hurled, and swords are flashing. There they are pierced by arrows, pierced by spears, and their heads are cut off with swords. There they incur death, and suffering tantamount to death. This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"Again, bhikkhus, with sensual pleasures as cause, with sensual pleasures as source, with sensual pleasures as basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures — having taken up sword and shield, having girded on bow and quiver, they charge against wet-plastered ramparts, while arrows are being shot, spears are being hurled, and swords are flashing. There they are pierced by arrows, pierced by spears; they are doused with cow dung, crushed with heavy weights, and their heads are cut off with swords. There they incur death, and suffering tantamount to death. This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"Again, bhikkhus, with sensual pleasures as cause, with sensual pleasures as source, with sensual pleasures as basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures — they break into houses, carry off plunder, commit burglary of a single house, lie in ambush on highways, and go to others' wives. Kings, having seized such a one, inflict various punishments upon him: they flog him with whips, beat him with canes, beat him with half-staves; they cut off his hand, cut off his foot … cut off his head with a sword. There they incur death, and suffering tantamount to death. This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
"Again, bhikkhus, with sensual pleasures as cause, with sensual pleasures as source, with sensual pleasures as basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures — they engage in misconduct by body, engage in misconduct by speech, engage in misconduct by mind. Having engaged in misconduct by body, in misconduct by speech, in misconduct by mind, with the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in the plane of misery, a bad destination, the lower world, hell. This too, bhikkhus, is a danger of sensual pleasures pertaining to the life to come, a mass of suffering, having sensual pleasures as its cause, having sensual pleasures as its source, having sensual pleasures as its basis — the cause being simply sensual pleasures."
**"Having seen the danger in the strands of sensual pleasure"**: having seen, having beheld, having weighed, having appraised, having made plain, and having made evident the danger in the strands of sensual pleasure — thus, "having seen the danger in the strands of sensual pleasure." **One should wander alone like the horn of a rhinoceros.** Therefore that Paccekasambuddha said:
For sensual pleasures, variegated, sweet, delightful to the mind,
in their manifold forms churn the mind;
having seen the danger in the strands of sensual pleasure,
one should wander alone like the horn of a rhinoceros.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.