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Dhp 337 From… Taṇhāvagga

I say this to you, good people,
all those who have gathered here:
dig up the root of craving,
as you’d dig up grass in search of roots.
Don’t let Māra break you again and again,
like a stream breaking a reed.


Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 334–359 Taṇhāvagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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AN 3.76 Paṭhamabhavasutta: Continued Existence (1st)

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘continued existence’. How is continued existence defined?”

“If, Ānanda, there were no deeds to result in the sensual realm, would continued existence in the sensual realm still come about?”

“No, sir.”

“So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings—shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving—is established in a lower realm. That’s how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.

If there were no deeds to result in the realm of luminous form, would continued existence in the realm of luminous form still come about?”

“No, sir.”

“So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings—shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving—is established in a middle realm. That’s how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.

If there were no deeds to result in the formless realm, would continued existence in the formless realm still come about?”

“No, sir.”

“So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings—shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving—is established in a higher realm. That’s how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future. That’s how continued existence is defined.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.76 Paṭhamabhavasutta: Continued Existence (1st) by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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Dhp 334-359 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving—Part 2

347. Those who are obsessed with passion and have fallen into the flood of craving, are like a spider, caught in its own web. This, too, the wise cut off. In order to abandon all suffering, without any longing for sense pleasures, wise people become monks and nuns.

348. Let go of regret over the past, let go of dreaming over the future, and let go of clinging to the present. Go beyond existence. With the mind liberated in every way, do not come again and again to the world of birth and old age.

349. Some people are occupied with sensual thoughts. With a mind of strong lust, they focus on what is pleasant. In them, craving grows more and more. Indeed, they strengthen their bond of craving.

350. He who delights in subduing lustful thoughts, who meditates on the impurities of the body and is constantly mindful—it is he who will make an end of craving and will cut Māra’s bond.

351. The monk who has reached the end goal, Nibbāna, is fearless, free from craving, taintless, and has plucked out the spikes called existence—for him, this is the last body.

352. The monk who is free from craving and attachment, is skilled in teaching the true meanings of the Dhamma, and knows the meaning of words and phrases,—he, indeed, is the bearer of his final body. He is truly called the profoundly wise one, the great man.

353. I have conquered all unwholesome things. I have realized everything. I am stained by nothing. Abandoning all, I am freed through the destruction of craving. Having thus, directly realized all by myself, whom shall I call my teacher?

354. The gift of Dhamma surpasses all gifts. The taste of Dhamma surpasses all taste. The delight in Dhamma surpasses all delights. The destruction of cravings conquers all suffering.

355. Wealth destroys those who lack in wisdom, but, those who seek Nibbāna are not destroyed like that. The foolish person is destroyed by his own craving for wealth, as if he had made someone destroy him.

356. Weeds are the ruin of fields; passion is the ruin of people. Therefore, what is offered to those free of passion bears great fruit.

357. Weeds are the ruin of fields; hatred is the ruin of people. Therefore, what is offered to those free of hatred bears great fruit.

358. Weeds are the ruin of fields; delusion is the ruin of people. Therefore, what is offered to those free of delusion bears great fruit.

359. Weeds are the ruin of fields; desire is the ruin of people. Therefore, what is offered to those free of desire bears great fruit.


Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 24 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving (334-359) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Tiếng Việt, Català, Čeština, Español, Français, עִבְֿרִיתּ, Magyar, Italiano, 日本語, Latine, मराठी, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Polski, Português, සිංහල, Slovenščina, தமிழ், or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Dhp 334-359 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving—Part 1

  1. The craving of a person who lives negligently spreads like a creeping vine. Like a monkey who leaps from tree to tree in the forest seeking fruits, that person leaps from life to life, in this journey of misery.
  2. Whoever is overcome by this miserable, wretched, and sticky craving, his sorrow grows like rapidly growing grass after rain.
  3. Whoever overcomes this miserable, wretched craving that is difficult to overcome, from him sorrow falls away like water drips from a lotus leaf.
  4. This I say to you: Good luck to all assembled here! Dig up the root of craving like someone in search of the fragrant root of the bīrana grass. Do not let Māra crush you over and over again, as the flood crushes a bunch of bamboo trees on a bank of the river.
  5. Just as a tree, though cut down, grows again if its roots are strong and remain uncut, so does suffering sprout again and again until the tendency of craving in the mind is rooted out.
  6. Thirty-six streams of craving flow through pleasurable objects. The misguided person who is entangled by this craving is carried away to hell by the flood of lustful thoughts.
  7. The stream of craving flows through every sense base and the creeper of craving sprouts and grows throughout your life. In seeing that the creeper has sprouted in you, cut off its roots with the sword of wisdom.
  8. When craving flows through objects, feelings of pleasure arise in beings. They get attached to that pleasure and seek more enjoyment. Undoubtedly, these people are bound to the journey of birth and old age.
  9. Surrounded by craving, these people run around frightened like a trapped rabbit. Held by fetters and bonds of defilements, they suffer repeatedly over a long time.
  10. Surrounded by craving, these people run around frightened like a trapped rabbit. Therefore, the monk who wishes for passion-free Nibbāna should destroy his own craving.
  11. There is a person who, turning away from the forest of defilements called household life, delights in the monk life. But after being freed from the forest of defilements called the household life, he runs back to it. Look at that person! Though freed, he runs back to that very bondage!
  12. If a person was bound with chains made of iron, shackles made of wood, and ropes made of hemp grass, those bonds are not called strong bonds by the wise. Instead, the infatuation and longing for jewels, ornaments, children, and wives—
  13. that, they say, is a far stronger bond, which pulls one downwards all the way to hell, and, though seemingly loose, is hard to remove. This, too, the wise cut off. By abandoning sense pleasures, and without any longing, they become monks and nuns.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 24 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving (334-359) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Tiếng Việt, Català, Čeština, Español, Français, עִבְֿרִיתּ, Magyar, Italiano, 日本語, Latine, मराठी, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Polski, Português, සිංහල, Slovenščina, தமிழ், or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

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 SC-Voice.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.

AN 9.23 Taṇhāmūlakasutta: Rooted in Craving

“Mendicants, I will teach you about nine things rooted in craving. And what are the nine things rooted in craving? Craving is a cause of seeking. Seeking is a cause of gaining material possessions. Gaining material possessions is a cause of assessing. Assessing is a cause of desire and lust. Desire and lust is a cause of attachment. Attachment is a cause of ownership. Ownership is a cause of stinginess. Stinginess is a cause of safeguarding. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, and fights, accusations, divisive speech, and lies. These are the nine things rooted in craving.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.23 Taṇhāmūlakasutta: Rooted in Craving by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 58 Taṇhāsutta: Craving

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three cravings. What three? Craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence. These are the three cravings.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Bound by craving, minds full of desire
for rebirth in this or that state,
yoked by Māra’s yoke, these people
find no sanctuary from the yoke.
Sentient beings continue to transmigrate,
with ongoing birth and death.

Those who have given up craving,
rid of craving for rebirth in this or that state,
they in this world have truly crossed over,
having reached the ending of defilements.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.


Read this translation of Itivuttaka 58 Taṇhāsutta: Craving Taṇhāsutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.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.

Dhp 334-336 From… Taṇhā Vagga: Craving

334. The craving of a person who lives negligently spreads like a creeping vine. Like a monkey who leaps from tree to tree in the forest seeking fruits, that person leaps from life to life, in this journey of misery.

335. Whoever is overcome by this miserable, wretched, and sticky craving, his sorrow grows like rapidly growing grass after rain.

336. Whoever overcomes this miserable, wretched craving that is difficult to overcome, from him sorrow falls away like water drips from a lotus leaf.


Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 24 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving (334-359) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read in 24 other modern languages.

AN 9.23 Taṇhāmūlakasutta: Rooted in Craving

“Mendicants, I will teach you about nine things rooted in craving. And what are the nine things rooted in craving?

  1. Craving is a cause of seeking.
  2. Seeking is a cause of gaining material possessions.
  3. Gaining material possessions is a cause of assessing.
  4. Assessing is a cause of desire and lust.
  5. Desire and lust is a cause of attachment.
  6. Attachment is a cause of ownership.
  7. Ownership is a cause of stinginess.
  8. Stinginess is a cause of safeguarding.
  9. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be:
    • taking up the rod and the sword,
    • quarrels,
    • arguments, and
    • fights,
    • accusations,
    • divisive speech,
    • and lies.

These are the nine things rooted in craving.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.23 Taṇhāmūlakasutta: Rooted in Craving by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.