[126] "Great king, suppose a man, having taken a loan, were to apply it to his business, and his business were to succeed, so that he could pay off the old debts that were the principal, and there would remain something over for the support of a wife. It would occur to him: 'Formerly I took a loan and applied it to my business. That business of mine succeeded, so that I have paid off the old debts that were the principal, and there remains something over for me for the support of a wife.' On that account he would gain gladness and attain joy.
"Great king, suppose a man were afflicted with illness, in pain, gravely ill; his food would not appeal to him, and there would be no strength in his body. At a later time he would be freed from that illness; his food would appeal to him, and there would be strength in his body. It would occur to him: 'Formerly I was afflicted with illness, in pain, gravely ill; my food did not appeal to me, and there was no strength in my body. Now I am freed from that illness; my food appeals to me, and there is strength in my body.' On that account he would gain gladness and attain joy.
"Great king, suppose a man were bound in a prison. At a later time he would be released from that bondage, safe and secure, with no loss of his property. It would occur to him: 'Formerly I was bound in a prison. Now I am released from that bondage, safe and secure, and there is no loss of my property.' On that account he would gain gladness and attain joy.
"Great king, suppose a man were a slave, not his own master, subject to another, unable to go where he wishes. At a later time he would be freed from that slavery, his own master, not subject to another, a freeman, able to go where he wishes. It would occur to him: 'Formerly I was a slave, not my own master, subject to another, unable to go where I wished. Now I am freed from that slavery, my own master, not subject to another, a freeman, able to go where I wish.' On that account he would gain gladness and attain joy.
"Great king, suppose a man with wealth and property were to travel a long road through a wilderness where food was scarce and danger was present. At a later time he would cross over that wilderness and safely reach the outskirts of a village, secure and free from danger. It would occur to him: 'Formerly, with wealth and property, I traveled a long road through a wilderness where food was scarce and danger was present. Now I have crossed over that wilderness and safely reached the outskirts of a village, secure and free from danger.' On that account he would gain gladness and attain joy.
"Even so, great king, so long as these five hindrances (nīvaraṇa) are unabandoned in himself, a bhikkhu regards them as a debt, as a disease, as a prison, as slavery, as a long road through a wilderness. But when these five hindrances are abandoned in himself, great king, a bhikkhu regards that as freedom from debt, as freedom from disease, as release from prison, as freedom from slavery, as a place of security."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.