88. Inner Stains

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tayome, bhikkhave, antarāmalā antarāamittā antarāsapattā antarāvadhakā antarāpaccatthikā.

Katame tayo?

Lobho, bhikkhave, antarāmalo antarāamitto antarāsapatto antarāvadhako antarāpaccatthiko.

Doso, bhikkhave, antarāmalo antarāamitto antarāsapatto antarāvadhako antarāpaccatthiko.

Moho, bhikkhave, antarāmalo antarāamitto antarāsapatto antarāvadhako antarāpaccatthiko.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo antarāmalā antarāamittā antarāsapattā antarāvadhakā antarāpaccatthikā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Anatthajanano lobho,

lobho cittappakopano;

Bhayamantarato jātaṁ,

taṁ jano nāvabujjhati.

Luddho atthaṁ na jānāti,

luddho dhammaṁ na passati;

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti,

yaṁ lobho sahate naraṁ.

Yo ca lobhaṁ pahantvāna,

lobhaneyye na lubbhati;

Lobho pahīyate tamhā,

udabindūva pokkharā.

Anatthajanano doso,

doso cittappakopano;

Bhayamantarato jātaṁ,

taṁ jano nāvabujjhati.

Duṭṭho atthaṁ na jānāti,

duṭṭho dhammaṁ na passati;

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti,

yaṁ doso sahate naraṁ.

Yo ca dosaṁ pahantvāna,

dosaneyye na dussati;

Doso pahīyate tamhā,

tālapakkaṁva bandhanā.

Anatthajanano moho,

moho cittappakopano;

Bhayamantarato jātaṁ,

taṁ jano nāvabujjhati.

Mūḷho atthaṁ na jānāti,

mūḷho dhammaṁ na passati;

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti,

yaṁ moho sahate naraṁ.

Yo ca mohaṁ pahantvāna,

mohaneyye na muyhati;

Mohaṁ vihanti so sabbaṁ,

ādiccovudayaṁ taman”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Navamaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, these three are inner stains, inner enemies, inner foes, inner murderers, inner adversaries. What three? Greed, bhikkhus, is an inner stain … an inner adversary. Hate is an inner stain … an inner adversary. Delusion is an inner stain … an inner adversary. These are the three.”

Greed is a cause of misfortune,
Greed agitates the mind;
People do not understand this
As a danger produced within.

A greedy person does not know the good,
A greedy person does not see the Dhamma;
Blinding darkness then prevails
When greed overwhelms a person.

But one who has abandoned greed
Longs not for what invites cupidity.
Greed slips away from him
As a water drop from a lotus leaf.

Hate is a cause of misfortune,
Hate agitates the mind;
People do not understand this
As a danger produced within.

A hater does not know the good,
A hater does not see the Dhamma;
Blinding darkness then prevails
When hate overwhelms a person.

But one who has abandoned hate
Is not angered by what incites to anger.
Hate drops away from him
As a palmyra fruit from its stalk.

Delusion is a cause of misfortune,
Delusion agitates the mind;
People do not understand this
As a danger produced within.

One deluded does not know the good,
One deluded does not see the Dhamma;
Blinding darkness then prevails
When delusion overwhelms a person.

But one who has abandoned delusion
Is not bewildered by confusing things.
He puts an end to all delusion
As the sunrise dispels the dark.