Designations for sensual pleasures

(1)“Bhikkhus, ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (2) ‘Suffering’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (3) ‘Disease’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (4) ‘Boil’ [311] is a designation for sensual pleasures. (5) ‘Tie’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. (6) ‘Swamp’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. “And why, bhikkhus, is ‘peril’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the perils pertaining to the present life or from the perils pertaining to future lives; therefore ‘peril’ is a designation for sensual pleasures. “And why is ‘suffering’ … ‘disease’ … ‘boil’ … ‘tie’ … ‘swamp’ a designation for sensual pleasures? One excited by sensual lust, bound by desire and lust, is not freed from the swamps pertaining to the present life or from the swamps pertaining to future lives; therefore ‘swamp’ is a designation for sensual pleasures.”

Peril, suffering, and disease,
a boil, a tie, and a swamp:
these describe the sensual pleasures
to which the worldling is attached.

Having seen the peril in clinging
as the origin of birth and death,
being liberated by non-clinging
in the extinction of birth and death,
those happy ones have attained security;
they have reached nibbāna in this very life.
Having overcome all enmity and peril,
they have transcended all suffering.

AN VI 23