If There Were Not This

THUS have I heard.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta Grove, the Anāthapiṇḍika Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Yes, lord," replied those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"If there were not, brethren,
this satisfaction that comes from the earth-element,
beings would not lust after the earth-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
this satisfaction that comes from the earth-element,
beings lust after the earth-element.
If it were not, brethren,
that misery comes from the earth-element,
beings would not be repelled by the earth-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
that misery comes from the earth-element,
beings are repelled by the earth-element.
If it were not, brethren, that there is
escape from the earth-element,
beings could not escape from the earth-element.
But inasmuch as that there is
escape from the earth-element,
beings do escape from the earth-element.
"If there were not, brethren,
this satisfaction that comes from the water-element,
beings would not lust after the water-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
this satisfaction that comes from the water-element,
beings lust after the water-element.
If it were not, brethren,
that misery comes from the water-element,
beings would not be repelled by the water-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
that misery comes from the water-element,
beings are repelled by the water-element.
If it were not, brethren, that there is
escape from the water-element,
beings could not escape from the water-element.
But inasmuch as that there is
escape from the water-element,
beings do escape from the water-element.
"If there were not, brethren,
this satisfaction that comes from the heat-element,
beings would not lust after the heat-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
this satisfaction that comes from the heat-element,
beings lust after the heat-element.
If it were not, brethren,
that misery comes from the heat-element,
beings would not be repelled by the heat-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
that misery comes from the heat-element,
beings are repelled by the heat-element.
If it were not, brethren, that there is
escape from the heat-element,
beings could not escape from the heat-element.
But inasmuch as that there is
escape from the heat-element,
beings do escape from the heat-element.
"If there were not, brethren,
this satisfaction that comes from the air-element,
beings would not lust after the air-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
this satisfaction that comes from the air-element,
beings lust after the air-element.
If it were not, brethren,
that misery comes from the air-element,
beings would not be repelled by the air-element.
But inasmuch as there is,
that misery comes from the air-element,
beings are repelled by the air-element.
If it were not, brethren, that there is
escape from the air-element,
beings could not escape from the air-element.
But inasmuch as that there is
escape from the air-element,
beings do escape from the air-element.
Even so is it in the satisfaction, the misery, the escape that come from the other three elements.
In so far, brethren, as beings
have not fully come to know,
even as it really is,
the satisfaction as such,
the misery as such,
the escape as such
in these four elements,
they have not lived aloof,
detached,
separate,
disassociated,
with the barriers to the mind
done away with,
from the world and its deities -
its Maras,
its Brahmas -
and from the generations of recluses and brahmins,
devas and men.
But when, brethren,
beings have fully come to know,
as it really is,
the satisfaction as such,
the misery as such,
the escape as such
in these four elements,
then do beings live aloof,
detached,
separate,
disassociated,
with the barriers to the mind
done away with,
from the world and its deities -
its Maras,
its Brahmas -
and from the generations of recluses and brahmins,
devas and men.