Being Mindful Stories

Analogy · Ajahn Brahm

Sensual pleasure is a loan

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Buddhist Attitude to Sensuality | Ajahn Brahm | 19-01-2007

1 min read

Content note: sutta simile; the canonical source (e.g. the debt simile of MN 39 / AN 6.45) is not named — verify

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

he compared such sensuality like to borrowing money, taking out a loan. Which is actually very deep and profound because when say you are watching pornography or you know getting into some sort of sensuality there's a lot of joy there at the beginning. But often we have to pay it back afterwards. And sometimes like a loan the only way you can pay it back is by taking out another loan to the pay off the original debt and the loan gets bigger and bigger and bigger until one gets into such a great financial mess, there's no way you can actually pay back your loan.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 34:33 (to 35:12)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

The Buddha compared sensual pleasure to a loan: fun at first, then repayments, paid off with a bigger loan, until the debt can't be met. That's addiction in a sentence. If something has hooked you, look for richer pleasures, friendship, family, quiet, to replace it gently, and seek help without shame.

In brief (our summary)

The Buddha's simile, as Ajahn Brahm gives it: sensual pleasure is like taking out a loan — joy at first, then the payback; and to repay it you take another, bigger loan, until you're in such a financial mess there's no way to pay it back. A profound picture of addiction.

Teaching point

Sensual indulgence borrows happiness that must be repaid with interest — the shape of addiction.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Buddhist Attitude to Sensuality | Ajahn Brahm | 19-01-2007 · 2007-01-22 · ▶ watch from 34:33 to 35:12 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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