衆生はニルヴァーナを求めようとしない
Sentient beings do not aspire Nirvana
2026-05-10
Sentient beings, as the term itself suggests, are beings who “live among the multitude,” and this is regarded as the ordinary condition of human life.
For this reason, sentient beings compete with one another, become entangled with one another through familiarity and attachment, raise up the notion of bonds, and involve themselves deeply in each other’s lives. They take it for granted that joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure arise within worldly existence, while remaining unaware that it is possible to break free from all suffering and attain an imperishable peace.
Their condition is like that of cattle which, though truly capable of living by their own power, are kept by human beings and remain unaware that their owner ultimately intends to consume their flesh.
This is because sentient beings are captured by Māra and his hosts, living within that evil domain.
Concerning this, the following principle can be found in the early Buddhist scriptures attributed to Śākyamuni Buddha:
171 Come, behold this world. It is beautiful like a royal chariot. The foolish become absorbed in it, but those who possess understanding do not cling to it.
174 This world is shrouded in darkness. Few here clearly discern (the truth). Like birds freed from a net, only a few ascend to the heavenly realm. (Words of Truth, Dhammapada, Chapter 13: The World, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
4 When a fruit has ripened, its tip is sweet; yet when one delightedly tastes it, it proves bitter. Craving burns the foolish—just as a torch burns the hand of one who refuses to let it go.
5, 6 The sages do not call the fetters made of iron, wood, or hempen cord strong bonds. Rather, when a dull-witted person whose mind is stained by sensual desire is drawn to wife and children—that is what the sages call a strong bond. It is utterly firm in every respect and hard to escape. They sever even this, look not back, abandon sensual pleasures, and wander forth on the mendicant path.
7 The various beautiful things in the world are not in themselves desire. Desire is the craving and passion within human beings. The various beautiful things in the world remain as they are and always exist. Yet, wise people restrain and guide their desire toward them.
8 The various desires that exist within human beings do not abide permanently. The subject of desire exists as something impermanent. When one abandons what binds one, the realm of death does not approach, nor does one take on another existence of delusion—this is what I teach.
9 Indeed, a person in whom desire has arisen will be leaking with defilement, their mind turbid and stained. But one whose mind is not hindered by any form of sensual craving is called “one who goes against the stream.” (Inspired Utterances, Udānavarga, Chapter 2: Desire, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
Well, now, of course, it is not easy for sentient beings, as they are, to perceive the bliss of Nirvāṇa.
Even if an awakened one who has attained Nirvāṇa were standing before them, and even if they knew that he was truly awakened, it would still not be easy for them to perceive even the slightest measure of the state of Nirvāṇa in which the awakened one abides.
For example, it is like children who cling to childish amusements, knowing nothing of the joys of adulthood and never even dreaming of seeking them.
For children to come to regard the joys of adulthood as something close and attainable, there is likely no other way than for them to grow up and become adults themselves.
In the same way, only those of exceptional insight come to perceive the existence of Nirvāṇa and realize that it is something they themselves can attain; thus, they seek it by turning away from worldly concerns.
When a sentient being comes to think and act in this way, that person is no longer merely a sentient being, but has already entered the category of a practitioner—and it may also be said that they have already accumulated great merit.
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