Skip to reading
← Itivuttaka

Living in Happiness

Iti 29 · Sukhavihārasutta

A weathered wooden water bucket beside split firewood on damp stone.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, when a mendicant has two qualities they live happily in this very life—without distress, anguish, and fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth. What two? Guarding the sense doors and moderation in eating. When a mendicant possesses these two qualities they live happily in this very life—without distress, anguish, and fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and likewise mind: a mendicant who makes these sense doors well guarded—

eating in moderation, restrained in the sense faculties—reaps happiness both physical and mental.

Not burning in body, not burning in mind, by day or by night such a person lives in happiness.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Connections

Collection & context

Books

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.