Wished For
Iṭṭhā Sutta (AN 10:73)

“Monks, these ten things are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world. Which ten?

“Wealth is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Beauty is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Freedom from disease is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Virtues are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Celibacy is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Friends are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Learning is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Discernment is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“The Dhamma1 is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Heaven is welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“These, monks, are ten things that are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“These ten (other) things are obstacles to these ten things that are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Indolence & lack of initiative are obstacles to wealth.

“Lack of adornment & lack of embellishment are obstacles to beauty.

“Unsuitable actions are obstacles to freedom from disease.

“Evil friendships are obstacles to virtues.

“Lack of sense restraint is an obstacle to celibacy.

“Duplicity is an obstacle to friendships.

“Lack of repetition is an obstacle to learning.

“An unwillingness to listen or to engage in questioning is an obstacle to discernment.

“Lack of commitment & lack of reflection are obstacles to Dhammas.

“Wrong practice is an obstacle to heaven.

“These ten (other) things are obstacles to these ten things that are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“These ten (other) things are food for these ten things that are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

“Non-indolence & initiative are food for wealth.

“Adornment & embellishment are food for beauty.

“Suitable actions are food for freedom from disease.

“Admirable friendships are food for virtues.

“Sense restraint is food for celibacy.

“Lack of duplicity is food for friendships.

“Repetition is food for learning.

“A willingness to listen & to engage in questioning is food for discernment.

“Commitment & reflection are food for Dhammas.

“Right practice is food for heaven.

“These ten (other) things are food for these ten things that are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, & hard to obtain in the world.

Note

1. Reading dhammo with the Thai edition. The other editions read dhammā: “(good) qualities.”