Viyahapannatti 7.7.364

7.7.364

"These non-sentient living beings, Venerable Sir—namely, earth-bodied beings up to plant-bodied beings, and sixthly, certain mobile beings—being blind, deluded, plunged into darkness, and covered by a veil of darkness and a snare of delusion, could it be said that they experience involuntary suffering?"
"Yes, Gautama. These non-sentient living beings, up to it could be said that they experience [involuntary] suffering."
"Venerable Sir, do even capable [beings] experience involuntary suffering?"
"Yes, they do."
"How, Venerable Sir, do even capable [beings] experience involuntary suffering?"
"Gautama, one who is not able to see forms in darkness without a lamp, one who is not able to see forms in front without gazing at them, one who is not able to see forms behind without looking back, one who is not able to see forms to the side without looking aside, one who is not able to see forms above without looking up, one who is not able to see forms below without looking down—thus, Gautama, even capable [beings] experience involuntary suffering."
"Venerable Sir, do even capable [beings] experience voluntary suffering?"
"Yes, they do."
"How, Venerable Sir, do even capable [beings] experience voluntary suffering?"
"Gautama, one who is not able to go to the other side of the ocean, one who is not able to see forms gone to the other side of the ocean, one who is not able to go to the heavenly realm, one who is not able to see forms gone to the heavenly realm—thus, Gautama, even capable [beings] experience voluntary suffering."
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!"