Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.62 7.

Taṇhāsutta - Craving for Existence

Yamakavagga Taṇhāsutta “Purimā, bhikkhave, koṭi na paññāyati bhavataṇhāya: ‘ito pubbe bhavataṇhā nāhosi, atha pacchā samabhavī’ti.

Disciples, the first point of craving for existence is not evident, that before this, craving for existence was not, and then it came into being afterward.

Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana paññāyati: ‘idappaccayā bhavataṇhā’ti.

However, it is said that this craving for existence is conditioned.

Bhavataṇhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that craving for existence is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro bhavataṇhāya?

And what is the fuel for craving for existence?

‘Avijjā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, ignorance.

Avijjampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that ignorance is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro avijjāya?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for ignorance?

‘Pañca nīvaraṇā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, the five hindrances.

Pañca nīvaraṇepāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the five hindrances are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro pañcannaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ?

And what is the fuel for the five hindrances?

‘Tīṇi duccaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, the three unwholesome actions.

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duccaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni.

I say that the three unwholesome actions are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ duccaritānaṁ?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for the three unwholesome actions?

‘Indriyaasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, lack of restraint of the senses.

Indriyaasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that lack of restraint of the senses is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro indriyaasaṁvarassa?

And what is the fuel for lack of restraint of the senses?

‘Asatāsampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, lack of mindfulness and clear knowing.

Asatāsampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that lack of mindfulness and clear knowing is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro asatā sampajaññassa?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for lack of mindfulness and clear knowing?

‘Ayonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, improper attention.

Ayonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that improper attention is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro ayonisomanasikārassa?

And what is the fuel for improper attention?

‘Assaddhiyan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, lack of faith.

Assaddhiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that lack of faith is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro assaddhiyassa?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for lack of faith?

‘Assaddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, not hearing the true Dhamma.

Assaddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that not hearing the true Dhamma is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro assaddhammassavanassa?

And what is the fuel for not hearing the true Dhamma?

‘Asappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, association with bad persons.

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. 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.

Thus association with bad persons fully develops not hearing the true Dhamma, which fully develops lack of faith, which fully develops improper attention, which fully develops lack of mindfulness and clear knowing, which fully develops lack of restraint of the senses, which fully develops the three unwholesome actions, which fully develop the five hindrances, which fully develop ignorance, which fully develops craving for existence; this is how craving for existence is fueled and fully developed.

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.

Just as when rain falls heavily on a mountain top, the water flows down to fill the crevices, gullies, and streams, and these, being full, fill the rivers, and the rivers, being full, fill the great ocean; in the same way, association with bad persons fully develops not hearing the true Dhamma, which fully develops lack of faith, which fully develops improper attention, which fully develops lack of mindfulness and clear knowing, which fully develops lack of restraint of the senses, which fully develops the three unwholesome actions, which fully develop the five hindrances, which fully develop ignorance, which fully develops craving for existence; this is how craving for existence is fueled and fully developed.

Vijjāvimuttimpāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

Disciples, I say that liberation through knowing is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro vijjāvimuttiyā?

And what is the fuel for liberation through knowing?

‘Satta bojjhaṅgā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, the seven factors of enlightenment.

Sattapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅge sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the seven factors of enlightenment are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ?

And what is the fuel for the seven factors of enlightenment?

‘Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, the four dwellings of mindfulness.

Cattāropāhaṁ, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhāne sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the four dwellings of mindfulness are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for the four dwellings of mindfulness?

‘Tīṇi sucaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, the three wholesome actions.

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sucaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni.

I say that the three wholesome actions are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ sucaritānaṁ?

And what is the fuel for the three wholesome actions?

‘Indriyasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, restraint of the senses.

Indriyasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that restraint of the senses is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for restraint of the senses?

‘Satisampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, mindfulness and clear knowing.

Satisampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that mindfulness and clear knowing are with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa?

And what is the fuel for mindfulness and clear knowing?

‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, proper attention.

Yonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that proper attention is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro yonisomanasikārassa?

Disciples, and what is the fuel for proper attention?

‘Saddhā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, faith.

Saddhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that faith is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro saddhāya?

And what is the fuel for faith?

‘Saddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said, hearing the true Dhamma.

Saddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that hearing the true Dhamma is with fuel, not without fuel.

Ko cāhāro saddhammassavanassa? ‘Sappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ. 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. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ …pe…

Disciples, without food, there is no nourishment. What is the food for the hearing of the true Dhamma? It should be said: association with good persons. Thus association with good persons fully nourishes the hearing of the true Dhamma, the hearing of the true Dhamma fully nourishes faith, faith fully nourishes wise attention, wise attention fully nourishes mindfulness and clear knowing, mindfulness and clear knowing fully nourish restraint of the senses, restraint of the senses fully nourishes the three good conducts, the three good conducts fully nourish the four dwellings of mindfulness, the four dwellings of mindfulness fully nourish the seven factors of enlightenment, the seven factors of enlightenment fully nourish knowing and liberation; thus is the nourishment for this knowing and liberation, and thus is its fulfillment.

evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti …pe… evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūrī”ti. Dutiyaṁ.

Just as when the gods rain heavily on a mountain top, the water flows down to fill the streams and rivers thus nourishing the great ocean, so too, association with good persons fully nourishes the hearing of the true Dhamma thus is the nourishment for this knowing and liberation, and thus is its fulfillment.