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SN 35.230PTS SN 4.1581 min read

The Simile of the Angler

Bāḷisikopamasutta

Sense pleasures are like a baited hook.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.230Linked Discourses 35.230
  • 0.218. Samuddavagga18. The Ocean

0.3BāḷisikopamasuttaThe Simile of the Angler

1.1PTS 4.159“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bāḷisiko āmisagatabaḷisaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya.“Mendicants, suppose an angler was to cast a baited hook into a deep lake.1.2Tamenaṁ aññataro āmisacakkhu maccho gileyya.Seeing the bait, a fish would swallow it.1.3Evañhi so, bhikkhave, maccho gilitabaḷiso bāḷisikassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāḷisikassa.And so the fish that swallowed the hook would meet with tragedy and disaster, and the angler can do what he wants with it.

2.1Evameva kho, bhikkhave, chayime baḷisā lokasmiṁ anayāya sattānaṁ vadhāya pāṇinaṁ.In the same way, there are these six hooks in the world that mean tragedy and slaughter for living creatures.2.2Katame cha?What six?

2.3Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.2.4Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,2.5Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso, mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe…they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.

2.6santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe….There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …3.1Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.3.2Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,3.3Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.

4.1Santi ca, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.4.2Tañce, bhikkhu, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe….If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.

5.1Santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe….There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …5.2Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.5.3Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato”ti.If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.”

5.4Tatiyaṁ.