Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.62

Numbered Discourses 10.62

7. Yamakavagga

7. Pairs

Taṇhāsutta

Craving

“Purimā, bhikkhave, koṭi na paññāyati bhavataṇhāya: ‘ito pubbe bhavataṇhā nāhosi, atha pacchā samabhavī’ti. Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana paññāyati: ‘idappaccayā bhavataṇhā’ti.

“Bhikkhus, it is said that no first point of craving for continued existence is evident, before which there was no craving for continued existence, and afterwards it came to be. And yet it is evident that there is a specific condition for craving for continued existence.

Bhavataṇhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro bhavataṇhāya? ‘Avijjā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that craving for continued existence is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for craving for continued existence? You should say: ‘Ignorance.’

Avijjampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro avijjāya? ‘Pañca nīvaraṇā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that ignorance is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for ignorance? You should say: ‘The five hindrances.’

Pañca nīvaraṇepāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. Ko cāhāro pañcannaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ? ‘Tīṇi duccaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that the five hindrances are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for the five hindrances? You should say: ‘The three kinds of misconduct.’

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duccaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ duccaritānaṁ? ‘Indriyaasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that the three kinds of misconduct are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for the three kinds of misconduct? You should say: ‘Lack of sense restraint.’

Indriyaasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro indriyaasaṁvarassa? ‘Asatāsampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that lack of sense restraint is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for lack of sense restraint? You should say: ‘Lack of mindfulness and situational awareness.’

Asatāsampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro asatā sampajaññassa? ‘Ayonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that lack of mindfulness and situational awareness is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for lack of mindfulness and situational awareness? You should say: ‘Irrational application of mind.’

Ayonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro ayonisomanasikārassa? ‘Assaddhiyan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that irrational application of mind is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for irrational application of mind? You should say: ‘Lack of faith.’

Assaddhiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro assaddhiyassa? ‘Assaddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that lack of faith is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for lack of faith? You should say: ‘Listening to an untrue teaching.’

Assaddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro assaddhammassavanassa? ‘Asappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that listening to an untrue teaching is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for listening to an untrue teaching? You should say: ‘Associating with bad people.’

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; evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

In this way, when the factor of associating with bad people 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. That’s the fuel for craving for continued existence, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.

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; evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

It’s like when it rains 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. That’s the fuel for the ocean, and that’s how it’s filled up.

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; evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

In the same way, when the factor of associating with bad people 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. That’s the fuel for craving for continued existence, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.

Vijjāvimuttimpāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro vijjāvimuttiyā? ‘Satta bojjhaṅgā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that knowledge and freedom are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for knowledge and freedom? You should say: ‘The seven awakening factors.’

Sattapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅge sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. Ko cāhāro sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ? ‘Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that the seven awakening factors are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for the seven awakening factors? You should say: ‘The four kinds of mindfulness meditation.’

Cattāropāhaṁ, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhāne sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. Ko cāhāro catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ? ‘Tīṇi sucaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for the four kinds of mindfulness meditation? You should say: ‘The three kinds of good conduct.’

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sucaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ sucaritānaṁ? ‘Indriyasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that the three kinds of good conduct are fueled by something, they’re not unfueled. And what is the fuel for the three kinds of good conduct? You should say: ‘Sense restraint.’

Indriyasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa? ‘Satisampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that sense restraint is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for sense restraint? You should say: ‘Mindfulness and situational awareness.’

Satisampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa? ‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that mindfulness and situational awareness is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for mindfulness and situational awareness? You should say: ‘Rational application of mind.’

Yonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro yonisomanasikārassa? ‘Saddhā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that rational application of mind is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for rational application of mind? You should say: ‘Faith.’

Saddhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro saddhāya? ‘Saddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that faith is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for faith? You should say: ‘Listening to the true teaching.’

Saddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. Ko cāhāro saddhammassavanassa? ‘Sappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

I say that listening to the true teaching is fueled by something, it’s not unfueled. And what is the fuel for listening to the true teaching? You should say: ‘Associating with good people.’

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; evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

In this way, when the factor of associating with good people 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. That’s the fuel for knowledge and freedom, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ …pe… evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti …pe… evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūrī”ti.

It’s like when it rains 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. That’s the fuel for the ocean, and that’s how it’s filled up. In this way, when the factor of associating with good people 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. That’s the fuel for knowledge and freedom, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.”

Dutiyaṁ.