SN12.52 — The Discourse on Clinging

He was dwelling at Sāvatthī.

Disciples, for one who dwells seeing gratification in things that can be clung to, craving increases.

With craving as condition, clinging arises;

with clinging as condition, existence arises;

with existence as condition, birth arises;

with birth as condition, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering.

Just as a great mass of fire would burn with ten, twenty, thirty, or forty bundles of wood.

There a person would from time to time throw dry grass, dry cow dung, and dry wood.

Thus that great mass of fire, being fed and sustained by that, would burn for a long time.

So too for one who dwells seeing gratification in things that can be clung to, craving increases.

With craving as condition, clinging arises...

thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering.

Disciples, for one who dwells seeing danger in things that can be clung to, craving ceases.

With the cessation of craving, clinging ceases;

with the cessation of clinging, existence ceases;

with the cessation of existence, birth ceases;

with the cessation of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.

Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

Just as a great mass of fire would burn with ten, twenty, thirty, or forty bundles of wood; there a person would not from time to time throw dry grass, dry cow dung, and dry wood.

Thus that great mass of fire, being deprived of its former sustenance and not being fed by new fuel, would be extinguished.

So too for one who dwells seeing danger in things that can be clung to, craving ceases, with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases...

thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

Back