Taṇhā Vagga

334. The craving of a person who lives heedlessly grows like a fast-climbing māluvā creeper. He leaps from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

335. Whomever this wretched, clinging craving overcomes in the world, his sorrows multiply like biraṇa grass drenched by pouring rain.

336. But whoever overcomes this wretched craving, so difficult to surmount in the world—from him sorrows drop away, like drops of water slipping off a lotus leaf.

337. This I say to you: good fortune to all of you assembled here! Dig out the root of craving, as one digs up fragrant usīra roots from the biraṇa grass! Let not Māra crush you again and again, as a rushing stream crushes a fragile reed.

338. Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts again if its root remains undamaged and firm, even so, while the latent tendency to craving is not completely eradicated, this suffering springs up again and again.

339. In whom the thirty-six streams of craving rush strongly toward pleasurable objects, those powerful currents of passion-based thoughts sweep away that person of misguided views.

340. The streams of craving flow everywhere; the creeper of desire sprouts and stands entrenched. Seeing that creeper sprung up, cut off its root with supreme wisdom!

To beings there arise experiences steeped in craving and saturated with attachment. Clinging to sensory pleasure and pursuing mundane delights, these humans are indeed bound to birth and decay.

342. Encircled by craving, people run about terrified like a hunted hare caught in a snare. Fast bound by fetters and attachments, they undergo suffering again and again for a long time.

343. Encircled by craving, people scurry about terrified like a snared hare. Therefore let the aspirant who desires his own detachment drive out all craving!

344. Whoever, having freed himself from the forest of domestic desire (vanatha), yet inclines again toward the forest; who, freed from the forest, runs right back into the forest of craving—look at that man! Released, he runs right back into bondage!

345. That is not a strong fetter, say the wise, which is made of iron, wood, or hemp rope. But infatuated longing for jewels and earrings, and passionate attachment to children and wives...

346. ...That, say the wise, is a truly strong fetter, dragging one down, deceptively yielding, yet hard to undo. Having severed even this fetter, the wise renounce the world, unattached, leaving all sensual pleasures behind.

347. Those infatuated with passion fall into the rushing stream of craving, like a spider trapped in the web spun by itself. Having severed even this, the wise walk on, free from longing, leaving all suffering behind.

348. Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present! Crossing over to the farther shore of existence, with mind completely liberated in every realm, you will not come again to birth and decay.

349. For a person agitated by restless thoughts, steeped in intense lust, contemplating only what is attractive, craving increases ever more; he truly tightens his own fetters.

350. But he who delights in the calming of thoughts, who constantly mindful contemplates the unwholesome nature of sensory forms—he will make an end of craving, he will sever the bond of Māra.

351. He who has reached the final goal, fearless, devoid of craving, spotless—he has broken all the thorns of becoming; this physical frame is his very last.

352. He who is free from craving, devoid of clinging, skilled in linguistics and terminology, knowing the arrangement of letters and their sequences—he who bears his final body is called a great sage of profound wisdom, a Great Being (Mahāpurisa).

353. 'I have conquered all, I know all, untainted am I in all states of existence. Having renounced all, liberated through the destruction of craving, having realized all this by myself—whom should I point to as teacher?'

354. The gift of Dhamma excels all gifts; the flavor of Dhamma excels all flavors; the delight in Dhamma excels all delights; the extinction of craving conquers all suffering.

355. Wealth and sensual riches ruin the foolish person, but not those seeking the farther shore of Nibbāna. Through craving for riches, the fool destroys himself just as if he were destroying others.

356. Weeds are the blight of agricultural fields; lust is the blight of mankind. Therefore, offerings given to those who are freed from lust yield magnificent fruit.

357. Weeds are the blight of agricultural fields; hatred is the blight of mankind. Therefore, offerings given to those who are freed from hatred yield magnificent fruit.

358. Weeds are the blight of agricultural fields; delusion is the blight of mankind. Therefore, offerings given to those who are freed from delusion yield magnificent fruit.

359. Weeds are the blight of agricultural fields; selfish desire is the blight of mankind. Therefore, offerings given to those who are freed from selfish desire yield magnificent fruit.