Sensual Pleasures Lead to Arrogance And Even Negligence (SN 3.6)

There are few in the world, who having obtained great wealth, neither become arrogant nor negligent, do not become obsessed with sensual pleasures, and do not act wrongly towards others.

At Sāvatthi.

Once, while sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, when I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind: 'There are few beings in the world who, having obtained great wealth, neither become arrogant nor negligent, do not become obsessed with sensual pleasures, and do not act wrongly towards others. But there are far more beings in the world who, having obtained great wealth, become arrogant and even negligent, obsessed with sensual pleasures, and act wrongly towards others.'"

"That is how it is, great king, that is how it is, great king. There are indeed few beings in the world who, having obtained great wealth, neither become arrogant nor negligent, do not become obsessed with sensual pleasures, and do not act wrongly towards others. But there are far more beings in the world who, having obtained great wealth, become arrogant and even negligent, obsessed with sensual pleasures, and act wrongly towards others."

The Blessed One said this. Having spoken this, the Well-Gone One further said this:

"Enamoured by sensual pleasures, Greedy, infatuated with desires; They do not realize they have gone too far, Like deer that enters the trap laid out; Afterwards, it becomes painful for them, For the result of their actions is bad."

Related Teachings:

The Fever of Sensual Pleasures (from MN 75) - Accused by a hedonist of being too negative, the Buddha recounts the luxury of his upbringing, and his realization of how little value there was in such things. Through renunciation he found a far greater pleasure.

Sensuality is subject to time, of much stress (SN 1.20) - A deity tries to persuade a monk to first enjoy sensual pleasures and then go forth.

Held by Two Kinds of Misconceptions (ITI 49) - How those with vision differ from those who adhere to craving for rebirth and those who slip past into craving to be annihilated.