John D. Ireland

Copyright

This text has been made available by the kind permission of the Buddhist Publication Society. It was released under the following licence terms:

For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any medium. However, any such republication and redistribution is to be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis, and translations and other derivative works are to be clearly marked as such.

Iti 105 Taṇhuppādasutta: Arousing Craving

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, there are four things that arouse craving whereby the craving that has arisen in a bhikkhu arises. What are the four? Because of robes, because of almsfood, because of a dwelling place, because of gaining this or losing that the craving that has arisen in a bhikkhu arises. These, bhikkhus, are the four things that arouse craving whereby the craving that has arisen in a bhikkhu arises.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

A person companioned by craving
Wanders on the long journey
In this state of being or another
And cannot go beyond saṁsāra.

Having understood the danger thus,
That craving is the origin of suffering,
A bhikkhu should wander mindfully,
Free from craving, without grasping.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 105 Taṇhuppādasutta: Arousing Craving by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 109 Nadīsotasutta: The River Current

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Suppose, bhikkhus, a man was being borne along by the current of a river that seemed pleasant and agreeable. But upon seeing him, a keen-sighted man standing on the bank would call out to him: ‘Hey, good man! Although you are being borne along by the current of a river that seems pleasant and agreeable, lower down there is a pool with turbulent waves and swirling eddies, with monsters and demons. On reaching that pool you will die or suffer close to death.’ Then, bhikkhus, upon hearing the words of that person, that man would struggle against the current with hands and feet.

“I have made use of this simile, bhikkhus, to illustrate the meaning. And this is the meaning here: ‘The current of the river’ is a synonym for craving. ‘Seeming pleasant and agreeable’ is a synonym for the six internal sense-bases. ‘The pool lower down’ is a synonym for the five lower fetters.‘Turbulent waves’ is a synonym for anger and frustration. ‘Swirling eddies’ is a synonym for the five strands of sensual pleasure. ‘Monsters and demons’ is a synonym for womenfolk. ‘Against the current’ is a synonym for renunciation. ‘Struggling with hands and feet’ is a synonym for instigating energy. ‘The keen-sighted man standing on the bank’ is a synonym for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Desiring future security from bondage
One should abandon sensual desire
However painful this may be.
Rightly comprehending with wisdom,
Possessing a mind that is well released,
One may reach freedom step by step.

One who is a master of knowledge,
Who has lived the holy life,
Is called one gone to the world’s end,
One who has reached the further shore.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 109 Nadīsotasutta: The River Current by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Magyar, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 96 Kāmayogasutta: The Bonds

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, one bound by the bond of sensual desire and by the bond of being is a returner, one who comes back to this state. One freed from the bond of sensual desire but still bound by the bond of being is a non-returner, one who does not come back to this state. One freed from the bond of sensual desire and freed from the bond of being is an arahant, one in whom the taints are destroyed.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Fettered by both these bonds—
The sensual bond and the bond of being—
Living beings continue in saṁsāra,
Journeying on to birth and death.

Those who abandon sensual desires
But have not reached the taints’ destruction,
Fettered by the bondage of being,
Are declared to be non-returners.

But those who have cut off doubts,
Destroyed conceit and renewal of being,
Who reach the taints’ full destruction,
Though in the world, have gone beyond.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 96 Kāmayogasutta: The Bonds by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 38 Vitakkasutta: Often Occurring Thoughts

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, two thoughts often occur to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: the thought of security (for beings) and the thought of solitude.

“The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys non-ill will. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys non-ill will, this thought often occurs to him: ‘By this behaviour I do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys solitude. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys solitude, this thought often occurs to him: ‘What is unwholesome has been abandoned.’

“Therefore, bhikkhus, I say, you too must live delighting in and enjoying non-ill will. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘By this behaviour we do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’

“Bhikkhus, you too must live delighting in and enjoying solitude. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘What is unwholesome? What has not been abandoned? What have we abandoned?’”

Two thoughts occur to him,
The Tathāgata, the Awakened One
Who endured what is beyond endurance:
Security (for beings) was the first thought spoken of,
Solitude was the second announced.

The dispeller of darkness, gone beyond,
The great sage who has reached attainment,
Become a master, freed from taints,
Who has crossed over entirely,
Released by the destruction of craving—
That sage bears his final body,
And having left behind Māra, I say,
He has gone beyond decay.

As one standing on a mountain peak
Might see all round the people down below,
So having ascended the Dhamma-palace,
The vastly wise one, all-seeing,
Views the people of the world.
The sorrowless one views below
Those still immersed in sorrow,
Overwhelmed by birth and decay.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 38 Vitakkasutta: Often Occurring Thoughts by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 92 Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta: The Hem of the Robe

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, even though a bhikkhu might hold on to the hem of my robe and follow close behind me step by step, if he is covetous for objects of desire, strongly passionate, malevolent, corrupt in thought, unmindful, uncomprehending, unconcentrated, of wandering mind and uncontrolled faculties, he is far from me and I am far from him. What is the reason? That bhikkhu does not see Dhamma. Not seeing Dhamma, he does not see me.

“Bhikkhus, even though a bhikkhu might live a hundred leagues away, if he is not covetous for objects of desire, not strongly passionate, not malevolent, uncorrupt in thought, with mindfulness established, clearly comprehending, concentrated, of unified mind and controlled faculties, he is close to me and I am close to him. What is the reason? That bhikkhu sees Dhamma. Seeing Dhamma, he sees me.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Though closely following behind,
Full of longings and resentment,
See how far away he is—
The desirous one from the desireless,
One unquenched from the quenched,
A greedy one from the one without greed.

But a wise person who by direct knowledge
Has fully understood the Dhamma,
Becomes desireless and tranquil
Like a calm unruffled lake.

See how close he is to him—
A desireless one to the desireless,
One quenched to the quenched,
The greedless one to the one without greed.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 92 Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta: The Hem of the Robe by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 17 Dutiyasekhasutta: The Good Friend

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, in regard to external factors, I do not perceive another single factor so helpful as good friendship for a bhikkhu who is a learner, who has not attained perfection but lives aspiring for the supreme security from bondage. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who has a good friend abandons what is unwholesome and develops what is wholesome.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

When a bhikkhu has good friends,
And is reverential and respectful,
Doing what his friends advise,
Clearly comprehending and mindful,
He may progressively attain
The destruction of all fetters.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 17 Dutiyasekhasutta: The Good Friend by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Español, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 2 Dosasutta: Hate

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Abandon one thing, bhikkhus, and I guarantee you non-returning. What is that one thing? Hate is that one thing, bhikkhus. Abandon that and I guarantee you non-returning.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Beings corrupted by hate
Go to rebirth in a bad bourn.
But having rightly understood hate,
Those with insight abandon it.
By abandoning it they never come
Back to this world again.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

NOTE: Non-return refers to the third stage of enlightenment when the five lower fetters have been eliminated. A non-returner will not be reborn as a human again and will be reborn at most once in the Pure Abodes before attaining full enlightenment.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 2 Dosasutta: Hate by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Iti 25 Musāvādasutta: Lying

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, I say that for an individual who transgresses in one thing, there is no evil deed whatsoever he would not do. What is that one thing? It is this, bhikkhus: deliberately telling a lie.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

There is no evil that cannot be done
By a person who deliberately lies,
Who transgresses in one thing,
Taking no account of the next world.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 25 Musāvādasutta: Lying by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Iti 107 Bahukārasutta: Very Helpful

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, brahmins and householders are very helpful to you. They provide you with the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicine in time of sickness. And you, bhikkhus, are very helpful to brahmins and householders, as you teach them the Dhamma that is good at the outset, good in the middle, and good at the end, with its correct meaning and wording, and you proclaim the holy life in its fulfilment and complete purity. Thus, bhikkhus, this holy life is lived with mutual support for the purpose of crossing the flood and making a complete end of suffering.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Householders and homeless alike,
Each a support for the other,
Both accomplish the true Dhamma—
The unsurpassed security from bondage.

From householders the homeless receive
These basic necessities of life,
Robes to wear and a place to dwell
Dispelling the hardships of the seasons.

And by relying on one of good conduct,
Home-loving layfolk dwelling in a house
Place faith in those worthy ones
Of noble wisdom and meditative.

Practising the Dhamma in this life,
The path leading to a good bourn,
Those wishing for pleasure rejoice
In the delights of the deva world.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 107 Bahukārasutta: Very Helpful by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Iti 98 Dānasutta: Giving

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, there are these two kinds of giving: the giving of material things and the giving of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of giving, this is the foremost, namely, the giving of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of sharing: the sharing of material things and the sharing of the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of sharing, this is the foremost, namely, the sharing of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of help: help with material things and help with the Dhamma. Of these two kinds of help, this is the foremost, namely, help with the Dhamma.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

When they say that giving
Is supreme and unsurpassed,
And the Lord himself has extolled sharing,
Who, wise and knowing,
Confident in that foremost field of merit,
Would not give at the appropriate time?

Both for those who proclaim it
And for those who listen to it,
Confident in the Sublime One’s teaching,
The supreme good is fully purified
As they live diligently in the teaching.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 98 Dānasutta: Giving by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Sign up for free daily suttas by email