Moderation of sensual pleasures? In SN 56.11 we find a famous passage:


  “Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial; and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata has awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.


Laity frequently interprets the above as moderation of sensual pleasures, even though the above passage seems to refer to monks (those "gone forth into homelessness").

Are there suttas where the Buddha or his disciples teach specifically laity on the subject of sensual pleasures (e.g. to be in anyway cautious about them)?

Also, a minor curiosity: how the above passage is interpreted by the Theravada tradition, since the suttas clearly teach the abandonment of sensual pleasures for those who become monks/nuns.
If there were such a sutta then maybe AN 8.54 would have been a good place to put it. It begins,

As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One,

&quot;We are lay people enjoying sensuality; living crowded with spouses &amp; children; using Kasi fabrics &amp; sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, &amp; creams; handling gold &amp; silver. May the Blessed One teach the Dhamma for those like us, for our happiness &amp; well-being in this life, for our happiness &amp; well-being in lives to come.&quot;


But that sutta only warns against debauchery in sex, drink, gambling, and evil companionship; and against improper or immoderate use of wealth; and not against sensual pleasures per se. Also the warning is that these are &quot;drains on one's store of wealth&quot;.
Conversely it also doesn't recommend sensual pursuits as being &quot;qualities that lead to a lay person's happiness and well-being in this life&quot; (instead it recommends good work, good friendship, etc.).

The more famous DN 31 is a little more wide-ranging -- it warns against frequenting &quot;theatrical shows&quot;:

&quot;There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in frequenting theatrical shows. He is ever thinking:
(i) where is there dancing?
(ii) where is there singing?
(iii) where is there music?
(iv) where is there recitation?
(v) where is there playing with cymbals?
(vi) where is there pot-blowing?