Book XXIV. Thirst Or Craving, Taṇhā Vagga

334, 335, 336, 337

If a man walk in heedlessness, Craving grows within him, like the creeper;
He floats from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in a forest.

Whosoever is overcome by this fierce Craving of attachment for the world,
The sorrows of such a man increase, like the luxuriant bīraṇa grass.

But whosoever overcomes this fierce Craving, difficult to overcome in this world,
Sorrows roll off from him, like a drop of water from a lotus leaf.

Therefore, with your kind permission, I say this to you, to all as many as are here gathered together:
Dig up the root of Craving, even as he who seeks the fragrant usīra root digs up the bīraṇa grass,
Lest Māra crush you again and again, as a stream crushes reeds.

338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343

As a tree, though it be cut down, grows up again if its root be sound and firm,
So also, if the inclination to Craving be not destroyed, this suffering springs up again and again in this world.

He that is in the tow of the six and thirty powerful currents running unto pleasure,
Such a man, misguided, the waves of desires inclining unto lust sweep away.

The currents run in all directions; the creeper buds and shoots;
When you see the creeper grown, be wise and cut the root.

Flowing and unctuous are a creature’s joys;
Men devote themselves to pleasure and seek after happiness;
Therefore do they undergo birth and decay.

Pursued by Craving, men dart hither and thither like a hunted hare;
Held fast by fetters and bonds, they undergo suffering repeatedly and long.

Pursued by Craving, men dart hither and thither like a hunted hare.
Therefore a monk should banish Craving, desiring for himself freedom from lust.

344

He who, free from desire, inclines to desire;
He who, released from desire, runs back to desire;
That man, – come, behold him; released, he runs back to bondage.

345, 346

That bond is not strong, say the wise, which is made of iron or of wood or of babbaja;
Stronger far is the bond of passionate devotion to jewels and rings, to sons and wives.

That bond is indeed strong, say the wise,
Which, although loose, drags men down, and is hard to untie;
By cutting this bond and retiring from the world,
Men win freedom from desire and leave behind them the pleasures of sense.

347

They that are dyed with lust follow the stream of the passions
As a spider runs down the web he has spun for himself.
Wise men, by cutting this bond and going forth from the world,
Win freedom from desire and leave behind all suffering.

348

Give up the things of the future, give up the things of the past,
Give up the things of the present; cross to the Farther Shore;
If your heart is freed from every attachment,
You will no more undergo birth and old age.

349, 350

If a man be agitated by doubt, if strong passion sway him, if he seek only that which is pleasing,
Craving will increase the more; he only strengthens the bond which holds him.

But whosoever takes delight in suppressing doubt, and ever mindful, meditates on that which is not pleasing,
Such a man will destroy, such a man will cleave the bond of Māra.

351, 352

He that has reached perfection, he that is unafraid, free from Craving, devoid of lust,
He that has cut out the arrows of being, such a man has reached his last state of existence.

He that is free from Craving, he that is without attachment,
He that is skilled to interpret words in the old dialect,
He that knows the order of the letters from first to last,
Such a man has received his last body, such a man is a great sage, a great man.

353

I have overcome all things, and know all things.
In all the conditions of life I am free from taint.
I have renounced all, and by the destruction of Craving have attained Emancipation.
Since by myself I have attained Supernatural Knowledge, to whom can I point as my teacher?

354

The gift of the Law surpasses all gifts, the flavor of the Law surpasses all flavors,
Delight in the Law surpasses all delights, the destruction of Craving overcomes all suffering.

355

Riches destroy the foolish; they seek not the farther shore;
By his craving for riches the foolish man slays himself, as if he were slaying others.

356, 357, 358, 359

Weeds ruin a field, lust ruins mankind.
Therefore alms given to those that are free from lust yield abundant fruit.

Weeds ruin a field, hatred ruins mankind.
Therefore alms given to those that are free from hatred yield abundant fruit.

Weeds ruin a field, delusion ruins mankind.
Therefore alms given to those that are free from delusion yield abundant fruit.

Weeds ruin a field, inordinate desire ruins mankind.
Therefore alms given to those that are free from inordinate desire yield abundant fruit.