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← Udāna

Clinging (2nd)

Ud 7.4 · Dutiyasattasutta

A small wildflower thriving in a narrow crack in stone.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time most of the people in Sāvatthī clung to sensual pleasures. Lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, attached, and blinded, they lived completely addicted to sensual pleasures.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw how attached the humans were.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Blinded by sensual pleasures, wrapped in a net, they are smothered over by craving; bound by the kinsman of the negligent, like a fish caught in a funnel-net trap. They chase old age and death, like a suckling calf its mother.”

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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.