Dighanikaya 2.223

2.223

Ime pañca nīvaraṇe appahīneti ettha bhagavā appahīnakāmacchandanīvaraṇaṃ iṇasadisaṃ, sesāni rogādisadisāni katvā dasseti. Tatrāyaṃ sadisatā. Yo hi paresaṃ iṇaṃ gahetvā vināseti, so tehi iṇaṃ dehīti vuccamānopi pharusaṃ vuccamānopi bajjhamānopi vadhīyamānopi kiñci paṭibāhituṃ na sakkoti, sabbaṃ titikkhati. Titikkhākāraṇaṃ hissa taṃ iṇaṃ hoti. Evameva yo yamhi kāmacchandena rajjati, taṇhāsahagatena taṃ vatthuṃ gaṇhati, so tena pharusaṃ vuccamānopi bajjhamānopi vadhīyamānopi sabbaṃ titikkhati, titikkhākāraṇaṃ hissa so kāmacchando hoti, gharasāmikehi vadhīyamānānaṃ itthīnaṃ viyāti, evaṃ iṇaṃ viya kāmacchando daṭṭhabbo.

Here, in 'these five hindrances unabandoned', the Blessed One shows the unabandoned hindrance of sensual desire as resembling a debt, and makes the rest resemble illness and so forth. Herein lies the resemblance. For whoever takes a debt from others and squanders it, even when told by them, 'Pay the debt,' even when spoken to harshly, even when bound, even when struck, is unable to ward off anything and endures everything. For that debt is the reason for his endurance. Just so, whoever is lustful through sensual desire for whatever [object], and seizes that object accompanied by craving, even when spoken to harshly, bound, or struck on account of it, endures everything; for that sensual desire is the reason for his endurance, just as with women struck by the masters of the house. Thus sensual desire should be regarded like a debt.