Provided With Pleasure

Iti 95 · Kāmūpapattisutta

Slender reeds lean together in a light breeze beside still water.

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

“Mendicants, there are these three ways of being provided with sensual pleasures. What three? Some sensual pleasures are simply present; some are for those who love to create; and some are for those who control what is created by others. These are the three ways of being provided with sensual pleasures.”

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

“Sensual pleasures that are simply present, gods who control what is created by others, gods who love to create, and others who indulge in sensual pleasures—They go from this state to another, but don’t escape transmigration.
Knowing this danger in sensual indulgence, an astute person would forsake all sensual pleasures, both human and heavenly.
Having cut the stream so hard to pass, that’s tied to pleasant seeming things, they become fully extinguished, completely transcending suffering.
Seers of the noble truths, knowledge masters, the astute, understanding rightly, directly know the ending of rebirth, they come not back to future lives.”

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

Connections

Collection & context

ItivuttakaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology

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.