Related:: [[Kamacchanda|Kāmacchanda]], [[Ayatana|Saḷāyatana]], [[Assada, Adinava, and Nissarana]], [[Mara|Māra]] # Kāma (Sense Pleasures) / Kāmaguṇā (Qualities of Sensuality) > [!info] Also see [[Kamacchanda|Kāmacchanda]] > [!info] Vocabulary > - ***Kāma*** = "that which decays" > - ***Kāmaguṇā*** = **Sensual Stimulations** (of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) ## What is Kāma? ![[AN6.63 Nibbedhikasutta#^what-is-kama]] ## Gratification, Drawback, and Escape ### Gratification ([[Assada, Adinava, and Nissarana|Assāda]]) ![[MN13 Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta#^kama-assada]] ![[MN13 Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta#^6-kamaguna]] ### Drawbacks ![[MN13 Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta#^Drawbacks|MN13]] ### Escape ![[MN13 Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta#^kama-nissarana]] ## More Drawbacks ### Why Buddha gave up on Sense Pleasures? ![[MN75 Māgaṇḍiyasutta#^buddha-transcend-kama]] ### Kāma Gives "Immediate" reward compared to Dhamma? > [!tip] [[Kama|Kāma]] v.s. Dhamma — Which is immediate and which takes time — In Samiddhisutta ([SN1.20](https://suttacentral.net/sn1.20/en/sujato)) > Then that deity landed on the ground and said to Samiddhi, > _Atha kho sā devatā pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ etadavoca:_ > > “You’ve gone forth while young, mendicant. With pristine black hair, you’re blessed with youth, in the prime of life, and you’ve never flirted with sensual pleasures. > _“daharo tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pabbajito susu kāḷakeso, bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato, paṭhamena vayasā, anikkīḷitāvī kāmesu._ > > **Enjoy human ==sensual pleasures==**! > _Bhuñja, bhikkhu, mānusake **==kāme==**;_ > > **Don’t give up what is apparent in the present to chase after what takes effect over time.”** > _mā **==sandiṭṭhikaṁ==** hitvā **==kālikaṁ==** anudhāvī”ti._ > > --- > “I’m not, reverend. > _“Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāmi._ > > **==I’m giving up what takes effect over time to chase after what is apparent in the present.==** > _Kālikañca khvāhaṁ, āvuso, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāmi._ > > **For the Buddha has said that sensual pleasures take effect over time, with much suffering and distress, and they’re all the more full of drawbacks**. > _**==Kālikā==** hi, āvuso, **==kāmā==** vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā; ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo._ > > **But this teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.**” > _Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ **==dhammo akāliko==** ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti._ ^dhamma-akaliko ### Analogy of Dog and Meatless Bone > [!NOTE] Dog & Meatless Bone — In Potaliyasutta ([MN54](https://suttacentral.net/mn54/en/sujato)) > “Householder, suppose a **dog weak with hunger** was hanging around a butcher’s shop. > _“Seyyathāpi, gahapati, **kukkuro jighacchādubbalyapareto** goghātakasūnaṁ paccupaṭṭhito assa._ > > Then a deft butcher or their apprentice would toss them a **skeleton scraped clean of flesh and smeared in blood**. > > _Tamenaṁ dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā **aṭṭhikaṅkalaṁ sunikkantaṁ nikkantaṁ nimmaṁsaṁ lohitamakkhitaṁ** upasumbheyya._ > > What do you think, householder? > _Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati,_ > > Gnawing on such a fleshless skeleton, would that dog still get rid of its hunger?” > _api nu kho so kukkuro amuṁ aṭṭhikaṅkalaṁ sunikkantaṁ nikkantaṁ nimmaṁsaṁ lohitamakkhitaṁ palehanto jighacchādubbalyaṁ paṭivineyyā”ti?_ > > “No, sir. > _“No hetaṁ, bhante”._ > > Why not? > _“Taṁ kissa hetu”?_ > > Because that skeleton is scraped clean of flesh and smeared in blood. > _“Aduñhi, bhante, aṭṭhikaṅkalaṁ sunikkantaṁ nikkantaṁ nimmaṁsaṁ lohitamakkhitaṁ._ > > That dog will eventually get **weary and frustrated**.” > _Yāvadeva pana so kukkuro **kilamathassa vighātassa** bhāgī assā”ti._ > > “In the same way, a noble disciple reflects: > _“Evameva kho, gahapati, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:_ > > ‘With the simile of a skeleton the Buddha said that **sensual pleasures** give little gratification and **much suffering and distress**, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.’ > > _‘aṭṭhikaṅkalūpamā **kāmā** vuttā bhagavatā **bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā**, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti._ ## Woman & Sexual Attractions ![[AN5.55 Mātāputtasutta#^maras-trap]] ## 10 Right and Wrong Ways of seeking Sense Pleasure! > [!example] Analysis of 10 Ways of seeking Sensual Pleasures — In Rāsiyasutta ([SN42.12](https://suttacentral.net/sn42.12/en/sujato)) > Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit. > > _Tatra, gāmaṇi, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti._ > > And they enjoy that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape. > _Te ca bhoge agadhito amucchito anajjhopanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati._ > > This pleasure seeker may be **==praised on four grounds==**. > _Ayaṁ, gāmaṇi, kāmabhogī catūhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso._ > > What are the four grounds for praise? > _Katamehi catūhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso?_ > > **(1) ==They seek wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means==.** This is the first ground for praise. > _Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenāti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso._ > > **(2) ==They make themselves happy and pleased==**. This is the second ground for praise. > _Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetīti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso._ > > **(3) ==They share it and make merit. This is the third ground for praise==**. > _Saṁvibhajati puññāni karotīti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso._ > > **(4) ==They enjoy that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape==**. This is the fourth ground for praise. > _Te ca bhoge agadhito amucchito anajjhopanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjatīti, iminā catutthena ṭhānena pāsaṁso._ > > This pleasure seeker may be praised on these four grounds. > _Ayaṁ, gāmaṇi, kāmabhogī imehi catūhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso._ ## Videos - ![[☸️📒 {Eryu} Dhamma Learnings#2026-04-20 — Best All about Kāma]] ## Notes - Vilas: **_Release_** from the **[[Anxiety]]** (Vexation) == **Pleasure** ## Blogs - [[(2022-06-27) Sense pleasures -- What is it and where does it end]] - (2024-08-14) Understanding Sensuality and its dangers ([Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPlu6Mo1Enk)) ## Suttas - Drawbacks - [[MN13 Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta]] - On what is Kama and what are ALL the drawbacks of it :) - [[AN6.63 Nibbedhikasutta]] - (Best for understanding) [[MN75 Māgaṇḍiyasutta]] - MN106 Āneñjasappāyasutta ([link](https://suttacentral.net/mn106/en/sujato)) - One gives up Kama and will enter into Jhanas - SN47.7 Makkaṭasutta ([link](https://suttacentral.net/sn47.7/en/sujato)) - Buddha explained using a #simile of #monkey caught by #hungers, that the 5 Kamaguna is the realm of the [[Mara|Māra]], and when one roams in it, one is bound for suffering :) - Worldly - SN42.12 Rāsiyasutta ([link](https://suttacentral.net/sn42.12/en/sujato)) - #buddha/vibhanga Detailed praises and criticisms of **10 different ways** seeking **sensual pleasure** and wealth!