- Numbered Discourses 10.62 Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.62
- 7. Pairs 7. Yamakavagga
Craving Taṇhāsutta
“Mendicants, it is said that no prior point of craving for continued existence is evident, before which there was no craving for continued existence, and afterwards it came to be. “Purimā, bhikkhave, koṭi na paññāyati bhavataṇhāya: ‘ito pubbe bhavataṇhā nāhosi, atha pacchā samabhavī’ti. And yet it is evident that there is a specific condition for craving for continued existence. Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana paññāyati: ‘idappaccayā bhavataṇhā’ti.
I say that craving for continued existence is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Bhavataṇhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for craving for continued existence? Ko cāhāro bhavataṇhāya? You should say: ‘Ignorance.’ ‘Avijjā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that ignorance is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Avijjampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for ignorance? Ko cāhāro avijjāya? You should say: ‘The five hindrances.’ ‘Pañca nīvaraṇā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that the five hindrances are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Pañca nīvaraṇepāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. And what is the fuel for the five hindrances? Ko cāhāro pañcannaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ? You should say: ‘The three kinds of misconduct.’ ‘Tīṇi duccaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that the three kinds of misconduct are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duccaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. And what is the fuel for the three kinds of misconduct? Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ duccaritānaṁ? You should say: ‘Lack of sense restraint.’ ‘Indriyaasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that lack of sense restraint is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Indriyaasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for lack of sense restraint? Ko cāhāro indriyaasaṁvarassa? You should say: ‘Lack of mindfulness and situational awareness.’ ‘Asatāsampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that lack of mindfulness and situational awareness is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Asatāsampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for lack of mindfulness and situational awareness? Ko cāhāro asatā sampajaññassa? You should say: ‘Irrational application of mind.’ ‘Ayonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that irrational application of mind is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Ayonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for irrational application of mind? Ko cāhāro ayonisomanasikārassa? You should say: ‘Lack of faith.’ ‘Assaddhiyan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that lack of faith is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Assaddhiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for lack of faith? Ko cāhāro assaddhiyassa? You should say: ‘Listening to an untrue teaching.’ ‘Assaddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that listening to an untrue teaching is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Assaddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for listening to an untrue teaching? Ko cāhāro assaddhammassavanassa? You should say: ‘Associating with untrue persons.’ ‘Asappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
In this way, when the factor of associating with untrue persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to an untrue teaching. When the factor of listening to an untrue teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of lack of faith … irrational application of mind … lack of mindfulness and situational awareness … lack of sense restraint …the three kinds of misconduct … the five hindrances … ignorance. When ignorance is fulfilled, it fulfills craving for continued existence. Iti kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti, avijjā paripūrā bhavataṇhaṁ paripūreti; That’s the fuel for craving for continued existence, and that’s how it’s fulfilled. evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.
It’s like when the heavens rain heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti, kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā mahāsamuddaṁ sāgaraṁ paripūrenti; That’s the fuel for the ocean, and that’s how it’s filled up. evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.
In the same way, when the factor of associating with untrue persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to an untrue teaching. When the factor of listening to an untrue teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of lack of faith … irrational application of mind … lack of mindfulness and situational awareness … lack of sense restraint …the three kinds of misconduct … the five hindrances … ignorance. When ignorance is fulfilled, it fulfills craving for continued existence. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti, avijjā paripūrā bhavataṇhaṁ paripūreti; That’s the fuel for craving for continued existence, and that’s how it’s fulfilled. evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.
I say that knowledge and freedom are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Vijjāvimuttimpāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for knowledge and freedom? Ko cāhāro vijjāvimuttiyā? You should say: ‘The seven awakening factors.’ ‘Satta bojjhaṅgā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that the seven awakening factors are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Sattapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅge sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. And what is the fuel for the seven awakening factors? Ko cāhāro sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ? You should say: ‘The four kinds of mindfulness meditation.’ ‘Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Cattāropāhaṁ, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhāne sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. And what is the fuel for the four kinds of mindfulness meditation? Ko cāhāro catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ? You should say: ‘The three kinds of good conduct.’ ‘Tīṇi sucaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that the three kinds of good conduct are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sucaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. And what is the fuel for the three kinds of good conduct? Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ sucaritānaṁ? You should say: ‘Sense restraint.’ ‘Indriyasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that sense restraint is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Indriyasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for sense restraint? Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa? You should say: ‘Mindfulness and situational awareness.’ ‘Satisampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that mindfulness and situational awareness is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Satisampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for mindfulness and situational awareness? Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa? You should say: ‘Rational application of mind.’ ‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that rational application of mind is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Yonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for rational application of mind? Ko cāhāro yonisomanasikārassa? You should say: ‘Faith.’ ‘Saddhā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that faith is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Saddhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for faith? Ko cāhāro saddhāya? You should say: ‘Listening to the true teaching.’ ‘Saddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
I say that listening to the true teaching is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. Saddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. And what is the fuel for listening to the true teaching? Ko cāhāro saddhammassavanassa? You should say: ‘Associating with true persons.’ ‘Sappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.
In this way, when the factor of associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to the true teaching. When the factor of listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of faith … rational application of mind … mindfulness and situational awareness … sense restraint …the three kinds of good conduct … the four kinds of mindfulness meditation … the seven awakening factors. When the seven awakening factors are fulfilled, they fulfill knowledge and freedom. Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, saddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ saddhaṁ paripūreti, saddhā paripūrā yonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, yonisomanasikāro paripūro satisampajaññaṁ paripūreti, satisampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi sucaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi sucaritāni paripūrāni cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā paripūrā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, satta bojjhaṅgā paripūrā vijjāvimuttiṁ paripūrenti; That’s the fuel for knowledge and freedom, and that’s how it’s fulfilled. evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.
It’s like when the heavens rain heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ …pe… That’s the fuel for the ocean, and that’s how it’s filled up. evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. In this way, when the factor of associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to the true teaching. When the factor of listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of faith … rational application of mind … mindfulness and situational awareness … sense restraint …the three kinds of good conduct … the four kinds of mindfulness meditation … the seven awakening factors. When the seven awakening factors are fulfilled, they fulfill knowledge and freedom. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti …pe… That’s the fuel for knowledge and freedom, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.” evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūrī”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.
