{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an5.7/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an5.7","id":"suttacentral_an5.7","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an5.7/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"\u201cMendicants, sentient beings are mostly charmed by sensual pleasures. When a gentleman has abandoned the scythe and flail and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, they\u2019re qualified to be called \u2018a faithful renunciate from a good family\u2019. Why is that? Because a youth can get sensual pleasures of this kind or that. Now, all sensual pleasures are just reckoned as \u2018sensual pleasures\u2019, regardless of whether they\u2019re inferior, average, or superior. Suppose there was a little baby boy who, because of his nursemaid\u2019s negligence, puts a stick or stone in his mouth. The nursemaid would very quickly notice and try to take it out. If that didn\u2019t work, she\u2019d cradle his head with her left hand, and take it out using a hooked finger of her right hand, even if it drew blood. Why is that? I admit she\u2019d know, \u2018This will distress the child, there\u2019s no denying.\u2019 Still, it should be done by a nursemaid who wants what\u2019s best for him, out of kindness and sympathy. And when the boy has grown up and has enough sense, his nursemaid would not be concerned about him, thinking: \u2018The boy can look after himself. He won\u2019t be negligent.\u2019 In the same way, I still need to look after a mendicant who hasn\u2019t finished developing faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom regarding skillful qualities. But when a mendicant has finished developing faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom regarding skillful qualities, I need not be concerned, thinking: \u2018They can look after themselves. They won\u2019t be negligent.\u2019\u201d","title":"Sensual Pleasures","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":254}