1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyā manussā yebhuyyena kāmesu sattā (…) rattā giddhā gathitā mucchitā ajjhosannā andhīkatā sammattakajātā kāmesu viharanti.Now at that time most of the people in Sāvatthī clung to sensual pleasures. Lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, attached, and blinded, they lived completely addicted to sensual pleasures.

2.1Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.2.2Addasā kho bhagavā sāvatthiyā te manusse yebhuyyena kāmesu satte ratte giddhe gathite mucchite ajjhopanne andhīkate sammattakajāte kāmesu viharante.He saw how attached the humans were.

3.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

4.1“Kāmandhā jālasañchannā,∥“Blinded by sensual pleasures, wrapped in a net,4.2Taṇhāchadanachāditā;they are smothered over by craving;4.3Pamattabandhunā baddhā,bound by the kinsman of the negligent,4.4Macchāva kumināmukhe;like a fish caught in a funnel-net trap.4.5Jarāmaraṇamanventi,They chase old age and death,4.6Vaccho khīrapakova mātaran”ti.like a suckling calf its mother.”

4.7Catutthaṁ.