When an astute person knows, “Old age and death are suffering; yet an ignorant ordinary person is bound to them”, completely understanding suffering, being mindful, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When clinging, the carrier of suffering, and craving, the carrier of this painful mass of proliferation, are destroyed, and one is mindful, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When the eightfold way, so full of grace, the supreme path, cleanser of all corruptions, is seen with wisdom; and one is mindful, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When one develops that peaceful state, sorrowless, stainless, unconditioned, cleanser of all corruptions, cutter of fetters and bonds: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When the thundercloud rumbles in the sky, while the rain pours on the path of birds all around, and a monk has gone to a mountain cave, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When sitting on a riverbank covered in flowers, garlanded with brightly colored forest plants, one is truly happy, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When it is midnight in a lonely forest, and the lions roar as the heavens pour, and a monk has gone to a mountain cave, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When one’s own thoughts have been cut off, between the mountains, sheltered inside a cleft, without stress or heartlessness, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
When one is happy, destroyer of stains, heartlessness, and sorrow, free of obstructions, snarls, and thorns, and with all defilements annihilated, practicing absorption: there is no greater pleasure than this.
Bhūta
Thag 9.1 · Bhūtattheragāthā
Connections
Collection & context
- TheragāthāThe 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
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · 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.