Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Minor Collection (Khuddaka)

Ud, part 44

The Boys · Kumārakasutta

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So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, between Sāvatthī and the Jeta Grove, several boys were tormenting some fish.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā kumārakā antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhenti.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the boys tormenting the fish. He went to them and said, “Boys, do you fear pain? Do you dislike pain?” “Yes, sir,” they replied. “We dislike pain.”

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule kumārake antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhente. Disvāna yena te kumārakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te kumārake etadavoca: “bhāyatha vo, tumhe kumārakā, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ vo dukkhan”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante, bhāyāma mayaṁ, bhante, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ no dukkhan”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“If you fear pain, if you dislike pain, don’t do bad deeds either openly or in secret.

“Sace bhāyatha dukkhassa, sace vo dukkhamappiyaṁ; Mākattha pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, āvi vā yadi vā raho.

If you should do a bad deed, now or in the future, you won’t be freed from suffering, though you fly away and flee.”

Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, karissatha karotha vā; Na vo dukkhā pamutyatthi, upeccapi palāyatan”ti. Catutthaṁ.