कुमारकसुत्तं

एवं मे सुतं – एकं समयं भगवा सावत्थियं विहरति जेतवने अनाथपिण्डिकस्स आरामे। तेन खो पन समयेन सम्बहुला कुमारका अन्तरा च सावत्थिं अन्तरा च जेतवनं मच्छके बाधेन्ति।

अथ खो भगवा पुब्बण्हसमयं निवासेत्वा पत्तचीवरमादाय सावत्थिं पिण्डाय पाविसि। अद्दसा खो भगवा ते सम्बहुले कुमारके अन्तरा च सावत्थिं अन्तरा च जेतवनं मच्छके बाधेन्ते। दिस्वान येन ते कुमारका तेनुपसङ्कमि; उपसङ्कमित्वा ते कुमारके एतदवोच – ‘‘भायथ वो, तुम्हे कुमारका, दुक्खस्स, अप्पियं वो दुक्ख’’न्ति? ‘‘एवं, भन्ते, भायाम मयं, भन्ते, दुक्खस्स , अप्पियं नो दुक्ख’’न्ति।

अथ खो भगवा एतमत्थं विदित्वा तायं वेलायं इमं उदानं उदानेसि –

‘‘सचे भायथ दुक्खस्स, सचे वो दुक्खमप्पियं।

माकत्थ पापकं कम्मं, आवि वा यदि वा रहो॥

‘‘सचे च पापकं कम्मं, करिस्सथ करोथ वा।

न वो दुक्खा पमुत्यत्थि, उपेच्‍चपि [उपच्‍चपि (क॰), उप्पच्‍चपि (?), उप्पतित्वापि इति अत्थो] पलायत’’न्ति॥

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time, a large number of boys on the road between Savatthi and Jeta's Grove were catching fish. Then early in the morning the Blessed One, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Savatthi for alms. He saw the large number of boys on the road between Savatthi and Jeta's Grove catching fish. Seeing them, he went up to them and, on arrival, said to them: "Boys, do you fear pain? Do you dislike pain?"
"Yes, lord, we fear pain. We dislike pain."
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

If you fear pain,

if you dislike pain,

don't do an evil deed

in open or secret.

If you're doing or

will do an evil deed,

you won't escape pain:

it will catch you even as you run away.

"Kumaraka Sutta: The Boys" (Ud 5.4), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, July 8, 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.04.than.html.