1At Sāvatthī.

Standing to one side, the god Kāmada said to the Buddha,

“It’s too hard, Blessed One! It’s just too hard!”

2“They do it even though it’s hard,” said the Buddha to Kāmada,
“the stable trainees with ethics, and immersion.
For one who has entered the homeless life,
contentment brings happiness.”

3Such contentment, Blessed One, is hard to find.”

4Buddha to Kāmada,
“those who love peace of mind;
whose minds love to meditate
day and night.”

5“But it’s hard, Blessed One, to immerse this mind in samādhi.”

6“They become immersed in samādhi even though it’s hard,” said the Buddha to Kāmada,
“those who love calming the faculties.
Having cut through the net of Death,
the noble ones, Kāmada, go on their way.”

7“But this path, Blessed One, is rough and hard to travel.”

8“Though it’s rough, hard to travel,
the noble ones, Kāmada, go on their way.
The ignoble fall headfirst
on a rough path.
But the path of the noble ones is smooth,
for the noble ones are smooth amid the rough.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho kāmado devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"dukkaraṁ, bhagavā, sudukkaraṁ, bhagavā"ti.

2"Dukkaraṁ vāpi karonti, (kāmadāti bhagavā)
Sekhā sīlasamāhitā;
Ṭhitattā anagāriyupetassa,
Tuṭṭhi hoti sukhāvahā"ti.

3"Dullabhā, bhagavā, yadidaṁ tuṭṭhī"ti.

4"Dullabhaṁ vāpi labhanti, (kāmadāti bhagavā)
Cittavūpasame ratā;
Yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca,
Bhāvanāya rato mano"ti.

5"Dussamādahaṁ, bhagavā, yadidaṁ cittan"ti.

6"Dussamādahaṁ vāpi samādahanti, (kāmadāti bhagavā)
Indriyūpasame ratā;
Te chetvā maccuno jālaṁ,
Ariyā gacchanti kāmadā"ti.

7"Duggamo, bhagavā, visamo maggo"ti.

8"Duggame visame vāpi,
Ariyā gacchanti kāmada;
Anariyā visame magge,
Papatanti avaṁsirā;
Ariyānaṁ samo maggo,
Ariyā hi visame samā"ti.