Second Discourse on the Pleasant

At one time, the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling near the small village of Nālaka in Magadha. And then, there where Venerable Sāriputta was, there Sāmaṇḍakāni, the wanderer, approached. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta. Having exchanged greetings, and courteous talk having passed between them, he sat to one side. Having sat to one side, Sāmaṇḍakāni, the wanderer, said this to Venerable Sāriputta:

“Now, what, friend Sāriputta, is the pleasant in this Teaching and Discipline, and what is the painful?”

“Not delighting, friend, in this Teaching and Discipline is painful, delighting in it is pleasant. When, friend, there is no delighting (in this Teaching and Discipline), this pain is to be expected: whether going, standing, sitting, or lying down, the pleasant and the easeful are not attained; whether one has gone to a village, a forest, the root of a tree, an empty hut, an open space, or in the midst of monks, the pleasant and the easeful are not attained. When, friend, there is no delighting (in this Teaching and Discipline), this pain is to be expected.

“When, friend, there is delighting (in this Teaching and Discipline), this pleasantness is to be expected: whether going, standing, sitting, or lying down, the pleasant and the easeful are attained; whether one has gone to a village, a forest, the root of a tree, an empty hut, an open space, or in the midst of monks, the pleasant and the easeful are attained. When, friend, there is delighting (in this Teaching and Discipline), this pleasantness is to be expected.”