​MN 14 Culadukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering 

Thus have i heard.

On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Sakyan country at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went to the Blessed One and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and said: "Venerable sir, I have long understood the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One thus: 'Greed is an imperfection that defiles the mind, hate is an imperfection that defiles the mind, delusion is an imperfection that defiles the mind.' Yet while I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One thus, at times states of greed, hate, and delusion invade my mind and remain. Then it occurs to me: ‘Why are these things not dispelled from me internally as states of greed, hate, and delusion invade my mind and remain sometimes."

Buddha: "Mahanama, there is still a state un-abandoned by you internally, of which at times states of greed, hate, and delusion invade your mind and remain; for if that state was already abandoned by you internally you would not be living the household life, you would not be enjoying sensual pleasures. Even though a noble disciple has seen clearly as it actually is with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them, as long as he still does not attain to the rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, he may still be attracted to sensual pleasures. 

But when a noble disciple has seen clearly as it actually is with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them, and he attains to the rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, then he is no longer attracted to sensual pleasures."

"Before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, I too clearly saw as it actually is with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them, but as long as I still did not attain to the rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, I recognised that I still could be attracted to sensual pleasures. But when I clearly saw as it actually is with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and how great is the danger in them, and I attained to the rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, I recognized that I was no longer attracted to sensual pleasures. "

"And what is the gratification in the case of sensual pleasures? Mahanama, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure...Forms cognizable via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable via the ear... Aromas cognizable via the nose... Flavors cognizable via the tongue... Tactile sensations cognizable via the body (as per MN Sutta 13)...Now this too is a danger in the case of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering in the life to come, having sensual pleasures as its cause, sensual pleasures as its source, sensual pleasures as its basis, the cause being simply sensual pleasures. "

"Now, Mahanama, on one occasion I was living at Rajagaha on the mountain Vulture Peak. There were a number of Niganthas living on the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili, they were practicing continuous standing, rejecting seats, and were experiencing painful, piercing feelings due to exertion. (practicing self-mortification). Then in the evening, I rose from meditation and went to the Niganthas there. I asked them: 'Friends, why do you practice like that?' They replied: 'Friend, the Nigantha Nataputta is omniscient and all-seeing and claims to have complete knowledge and vision thus: "Whether I am walking or ​standing or asleep or awake, knowledge and vision are continuously and uninterruptedly present to me." He says thus: "Niganthas, you have done evil actions in the past; exhaust them with the performance of piercing austerities. And when you are here and now restrained in body, speech and mind, that is not doing any evil actions for the future (No kamma). So by annihilating with asceticism past actions and by doing no fresh actions, there will be no consequence in the future. With no consequence in the future, there is the destruction of action. With the destruction of action, there is the destruction of suffering followed by the destruction of feeling, followed by all suffering will be exhausted." This is the doctrine we approve of and accept, and we are satisfied with it.'

After hearing this, I told them: 'But, friends, do you know that you existed in the past, and that you did not not exist?'
Niganthas: 'No, friend.'
Buddha: 'But, friends, do you know that you did evil actions in the past and did not abstain from them?'
Niganthas: 'No, friend.'
Buddha: 'But, friends, do you know that you did such and such evil actions?'
​Niganthas: 'No, friend.'
Buddha: 'But, friends, do you know that so much suffering has already been exhausted, or that so much suffering has still to be exhausted, or that when so much suffering has been exhausted all suffering will have been exhausted?'
​Niganthas:  'No, friend.'

Buddha: 'But, friends, do you know what the abandoning of unwholesome states is and what the cultivation of wholesome states is here and now?'
​Niganthas: 'No, friend.' 
Buddha: "So, friends, it seems that you do not know that you existed in the past and that it is not the case that you did not exist; or that you did evil actions in the past and did not abstain from them; or that you did evil actions; or that so much suffering has already been exhausted, or that so much suffering has still to be exhausted, or that when so much suffering has been exhausted all suffering will have been exhausted; or what the abandoning of unwholesome states is and what the cultivation of wholesome states is here and now. That being so, those who are murderers, evil-doers in the world, when they are reborn among human beings, go forth into homelessness as Niganthas.'

Niganthas: "Friend Gotama, pleasure is not to be gained through pleasure; pleasure is to be gained through pain. For were pleasure to be gained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha would gain pleasure, since he abides in greater pleasure than the venerable Gotama.'
Buddha: "Surely the venerable Niganthas have uttered those words rashly and without reflection.  for instead, I should be asked: "Who abides in greater pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or the venerable Gotama?' Niganthas: "Surely, friend Gotama, we uttered those words rashly and without reflection. But let that be. Now we ask the venerable Gotama: "Who abides in greater pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or the venerable Gotama?'

Buddha: "Then, friends, I shall ask you a question in return. Answer it as you like. What do you think, friends? Can King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha abide without moving his body or tittering a word, experiencing the peak of pleasure for seven days and nights?'
Niganthas: 'No, friend.'
Buddha: 'Can King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha abide without moving his body or uttering a word, experiencing the peak of pleasure for six, five, four, three, or two days and nights?.. .for one day and night?'
Niganthas: 'No, friend.'
Buddha: "But, friends, I can abide without moving my body or uttering a word, experiencing the peak of pleasure for one day and night.. .for two, three, four, five, and six days and nights.. .for seven days and nights. What do you think, friends? That being so, who dwells in greater pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha or I?'
Niganthas: ''That being so, the venerable Gotama abides in greater pleasure than King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha." 

That is what the Blessed One said. Mahanama the Sakyan was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words. 

In summary, a sakyan named Mahanama asked Buddha on why the three evils namely greed, hatred and delusion still persist in his mind at times. Buddha replied :"But when a noble disciple has seen clearly as it actually is with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them, and he attains to the rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, then he is no longer attracted to sensual pleasures. Only when one is freed from attachments to sensual pleasures then these evil states will not arise."

Then Buddha gave the example of the self-mortification practice of the Niganthas and how it is not beneficial to the practice for end of suffering. The Niganthas does not believe in kamma in current actions/speech and thoughts and they believe that self mortification will erase any past evil actions. Buddha countered questioned the Niganthas on their beliefs and in the end they agreed with Buddha's reasoning. 

​By WHH

References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The middle length discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)