When lust infects his mind after seeing finely dressed women, Venerable Vaṅgīsa dispels his own discontent by reciting verses on renunciation, firmness in the teaching, and defying Māra on the path to extinguishment.

SN 8.2 Dissatisfaction

Ekaṁ samayaṁ …pe… āyasmā vaṅgīso āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye āyasmatā nigrodhakappena upajjhāyena saddhiṁ.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nigrodhakappo pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisati, sāyaṁ nikkhamati aparajju kāle.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa anabhirati uppannā hoti, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: “alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ; yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti; taṁ kutettha labbhā, yaṁ me paro anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyya. Yannūnāhaṁ attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyyan”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādetvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

“Aratiñca ratiñca pahāya,
Sabbaso gehasitañca vitakkaṁ;
Vanathaṁ na kareyya kuhiñci,
Nibbanatho arato sa hi bhikkhu.

Yamidha pathaviñca vehāsaṁ,
Rūpagatañca jagatogadhaṁ;
Kiñci parijīyati sabbamaniccaṁ,
Evaṁ samecca caranti mutattā.

Upadhīsu janā gadhitāse,
Diṭṭhasute paṭighe ca mute ca;
Ettha vinodaya chandamanejo,
Yo ettha na limpati taṁ munimāhu.

Atha saṭṭhinissitā savitakkā,
Puthū janatāya adhammā niviṭṭhā;
Na ca vaggagatassa kuhiñci,
No pana duṭṭhullabhāṇī sa bhikkhu.

Dabbo cirarattasamāhito,
Akuhako nipako apihālu;
Santaṁ padaṁ ajjhagamā muni paṭicca,
Parinibbuto kaṅkhati kālan”ti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ …pe… āyasmā vaṅgīso āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye āyasmatā nigrodhakappena upajjhāyena saddhiṁ.

At one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine, together with his mentor, Venerable Nigrodhakappa.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nigrodhakappo pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisati, sāyaṁ nikkhamati aparajju kāle.

Now at that time after Venerable Nigrodhakappa had finished his meal, on his return from almsround, he would enter his dwelling and not emerge for the rest of that day, or the next.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa anabhirati uppannā hoti, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.

And at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa became dissatisfied, as lust infected his mind.

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:

Then he thought,

“alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ;

“It’s my loss, my misfortune,

yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti; taṁ kutettha labbhā, yaṁ me paro anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyya.

that I’ve become dissatisfied, with lust infecting my mind. How is it possible for someone else to dispel my discontent and give rise to satisfaction?

Yannūnāhaṁ attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyyan”ti.

Why don’t I do it myself?”

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādetvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

Then, on the occasion of dispelling his own discontent and giving rise to satisfaction, he recited these verses:

“Aratiñca ratiñca pahāya,

“Giving up desire and discontent,

Sabbaso gehasitañca vitakkaṁ;

along with all thoughts of domestic life,

Vanathaṁ na kareyya kuhiñci,

they wouldn’t get snarled in anything;

Nibbanatho arato sa hi bhikkhu.

unsnarled, undesiring: that’s a real mendicant.

Yamidha pathaviñca vehāsaṁ,

Whatever here is included in form—

Rūpagatañca jagatogadhaṁ;

on earth, in the sky, or in planet’s deep—

Kiñci parijīyati sabbamaniccaṁ,

wears out, it is all impermanent:

Evaṁ samecca caranti mutattā.

the self-examined live having comprehended this.

Upadhīsu janā gadhitāse,

People are bound to their attachments,

Diṭṭhasute paṭighe ca mute ca;

to impingement of the seen and heard, and to what is thought.

Ettha vinodaya chandamanejo,

Unstirred, dispel desire for these things;

Yo ettha na limpati taṁ munimāhu.

for one called ‘a sage’ does not cling to them.

Atha saṭṭhinissitā savitakkā,

Trapped in the sixty wrong views, full of their own opinions,

Puthū janatāya adhammā niviṭṭhā;

ordinary people are fixed in wrong principles.

Na ca vaggagatassa kuhiñci,

But that mendicant wouldn’t join a sect,

No pana duṭṭhullabhāṇī sa bhikkhu.

still less would they utter lewd speech.

Dabbo cirarattasamāhito,

Clever, serene for a long time,

Akuhako nipako apihālu;

free of deceit, alert, without envy,

Santaṁ padaṁ ajjhagamā muni paṭicca,

the sage has reached the state of peace;

Parinibbuto kaṅkhati kālan”ti.

quenched, he awaits his time.”

Topics & Qualities:

Contentment

Contentment

The quality of being satisfied with the requisites one has and with the present conditions, resulting in having few desires and being free from agitation.

Also known as: fewness of wishes, having few desires, satisfaction, sense of ease
Pāli: santutthi, appicchatā, tuṭṭha, tosana
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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
View all discourses →
Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
View all discourses →
Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
View all discourses →
Passion

Passion

Intense desire or lust that dyes the mind. It fixates on the features of objects, coloring perception with infatuation and making it difficult to see things as they truly are.

Also known as: burning fever, intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust
Pāli: rāga
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026