Before my enlightenment, O monks, when I was still a Bodhisatta, this thought occurred to me: ‘what is the gratification in the world, what is the danger in the world, and what is the escape from the world?’ Then I thought: ‘whatever joy and happiness there is in the world, that is the gratification in the world; that the world is impermanent, pervaded by suffering and subject to change, that is the danger in the world; the removal and abandoning of desire and lust for the world, that is the escape from the world.’
So long, monks, as I did not fully understand, as they really are, the world’s gratification as gratification, its danger as danger, and the escape from the world as escape, for so long I did not claim that I had awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans.
But when I had fully understood all this, then I claimed that I had awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with …. Its devas and humans. The knowledge and vision arose in me: “unshakeable is the liberation of my mind; this is my last birth; there is now no further re-becoming”
Gratification, Danger and Escape – 2
I went in search of the gratification in the world, O monks. Whatever gratification there is in the world, that I have found; and in how far there is gratification in the world, that I have clearly seen by wisdom.
I went in search of the danger in the world. Whatever danger there is in the world, that I have found; and in how far there is danger in the world, that I have clearly seen by wisdom.
I went in search of an escape from the world. That escape from the world I have found; and in how far there is an escape from the world, that I have clearly seen by wisdom.
Gratification, Danger and Escape – 3
If, monks, there were no gratification in the world, beings would not become attached to the world. But as there is gratification in the world, beings become attached to it.
If there were no danger in the world, beings would not become disenchanted with the world. But as there is danger in the world, beings become disenchanted with it.
If there were no escape from the world, beings could not escape from the world. But as there is an escape from the world, beings can escape from it.
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
An anthology of Suttas from the Anguttara Nikāya
Selected and translated from the Pāli by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi
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