The Buddha teaches on danger, presenting a eightfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 8.56 Danger

“‘Bhayan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Rogo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Gaṇḍo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Sallan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Saṅgo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Paṅko’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. ‘Gabbho’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ? Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘dukkhan’ti …pe… ‘rogo’ti‘gaṇḍo’ti‘sallan’ti‘saṅgo’ti‘paṅko’ti‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ? Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Bhayaṁ dukkhañca rogo ca,
gaṇḍo sallañca saṅgo ca;
Paṅko gabbho ca ubhayaṁ,
ete kāmā pavuccanti;
Yattha satto puthujjano.

Otiṇṇo sātarūpena,
puna gabbhāya gacchati;
Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī,
sampajaññaṁ na riccati.

So imaṁ palipathaṁ duggaṁ,
atikkamma tathāvidho;
Pajaṁ jātijarūpetaṁ,
phandamānaṁ avekkhatī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Bhayan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

“Mendicants, ‘danger’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

‘Dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Suffering’,

‘Rogo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘disease’,

‘Gaṇḍo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘boil’,

‘Sallan’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘dart’,

‘Saṅgo’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘chain’,

‘Paṅko’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘bog’,

‘Gabbho’ti, bhikkhave, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

and ‘womb’ are terms for sensual pleasures.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?

And why is ‘danger’ a term for sensual pleasures?

Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi bhayā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘bhayan’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from dangers in this life or in lives to come. That is why ‘danger’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, ‘dukkhan’ti …pe…

And why are ‘suffering’,

‘rogo’ti

‘disease’,

‘gaṇḍo’ti

‘boil’,

‘sallan’ti

‘dart’,

‘saṅgo’ti

‘chain’,

‘paṅko’ti

‘bog’,

‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ?

and ‘womb’ terms for sensual pleasures?

Yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ, bhikkhave, chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, samparāyikāpi gabbhā na parimuccati, tasmā ‘gabbho’ti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Someone who is besotted by sensual greed and shackled by lustful desire is not freed from wombs in this life or in lives to come. That is why ‘womb’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

Bhayaṁ dukkhañca rogo ca,

Danger, suffering, and disease,

gaṇḍo sallañca saṅgo ca;

boil, dart, and chain,

Paṅko gabbho ca ubhayaṁ,

and bogs and wombs both.

ete kāmā pavuccanti;

These describe the sensual pleasures

Yattha satto puthujjano.

to which ordinary people are attached.

Otiṇṇo sātarūpena,

Swamped by things that seem pleasant,

puna gabbhāya gacchati;

you go to another womb.

Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī,

But when a mendicant is keen,

sampajaññaṁ na riccati.

and doesn’t forget awareness,

So imaṁ palipathaṁ duggaṁ,

in this way that sort transcend

atikkamma tathāvidho;

this grueling swamp.

Pajaṁ jātijarūpetaṁ,

They watch this population flounder,

phandamānaṁ avekkhatī”ti.

fallen into rebirth and old age.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: craving for sensuality, passion for sensual pleasures, lust, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026