9.
The Discourse on the Subtle
39. "I was delicate, monks, supremely delicate, extremely delicate. In my father's dwelling, monks, lotus ponds were made. In one, monks, blue lotuses were planted, in one red lotuses, in one white lotuses, only for my sake. I did not use, monks, sandalwood that was not from Kāsi. My turban, monks, was of Kāsi cloth, my jacket was of Kāsi cloth, my inner robe was of Kāsi cloth, my upper robe was of Kāsi cloth. Night and day, monks, a white parasol was held over me - 'Let not cold or heat or grass or dust or dew touch him.'
I, monks, had three mansions - one for the winter, one for the summer, one for the rainy season. I, monks, being entertained in the rainy season mansion for the four months of the rainy season with musical instruments played only by women, did not descend to the lower part of the mansion. Just as, monks, in the dwellings of others, porridge of broken rice with vinegar as a second is given to slaves, workmen and servants, just so, monks, in my father's dwelling, rice with meat was given to slaves, workmen and servants.
To me, monks, endowed with such supernormal power and with such delicacy, this occurred - 'An ignorant worldling, being himself subject to ageing, not gone beyond ageing, having seen another who is old, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking himself. I too am subject to ageing, not gone beyond ageing. If I, being subject to ageing, not gone beyond ageing, having seen another who is old, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, that would not be proper for me.' As I, monks, thus reflected, whatever intoxication with youth there is in youth was completely abandoned.
An ignorant worldling, being himself subject to disease, not gone beyond disease, having seen another who is diseased, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking himself - 'I too am subject to disease, not gone beyond disease. If I, being subject to disease, not gone beyond disease, having seen another who is diseased, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, that would not be proper for me.' As I, monks, thus reflected, whatever intoxication with health there is in health was completely abandoned.
An ignorant worldling, being himself subject to death, not gone beyond death, having seen another who is dead, is troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, overlooking himself - 'I too am subject to death, not gone beyond death. If I, being subject to death, not gone beyond death, having seen another who is dead, were to be troubled, ashamed, and disgusted, that would not be proper for me.' As I, monks, thus reflected, whatever intoxication with life there is in life was completely abandoned."
"There are these three intoxications, monks. Which three? Intoxication with youth, intoxication with health, intoxication with life. An ignorant worldling, monks, intoxicated with intoxication with youth, practises misconduct by body, practises misconduct by speech, practises misconduct by mind. He, having practised misconduct by body, having practised misconduct by speech, having practised misconduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. An ignorant worldling, monks, intoxicated with intoxication with health, etc. An ignorant worldling, monks, intoxicated with intoxication with life, practises misconduct by body, practises misconduct by speech, practises misconduct by mind. He, having practised misconduct by body, having practised misconduct by speech, having practised misconduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"A monk intoxicated by the vanity of youth, monks, having rejected the training, returns to the lower life. Or a monk intoxicated by the vanity of health, monks, etc. Or a monk intoxicated by the vanity of life, monks, having rejected the training, returns to the lower life."
Being just as they are by nature, worldlings are disgusted.
This would not be proper for me, dwelling thus.
Whatever vanities there are in health, in youth, and in life.
For me there was endeavour, seeing Nibbāna.
I shall be one who does not turn back, heading for the holy life." The ninth.