Thirst

In a careless person, craving spreads like a fast-growing vine. They leap from one craving to the next, like a monkey swinging through the forest grabbing for fruit.

The craving of one given to heedless living grows like a creeper. Like the monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he leaps from life to life (tasting the fruit of his kamma).

When this fierce, poisonous craving takes hold of someone, their troubles multiply and spread, like wild grass shooting up everywhere after rain.

Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains.

But when someone overcomes this fierce craving, so hard to conquer, their sorrows simply slide away, like water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf.

But whoever overcomes this wretched craving, so difficult to overcome, from him sorrows fall away like water from a lotus leaf.

This is my heartfelt word to all of you gathered here: dig up craving at its very root, the way someone digs up the grass to reach the fragrant root beneath it. Don't let Mara crush you again and again, as a flooding river flattens a reed.

This I say to you: Good luck to all assembled here! Dig up the root of craving, like one in search of the fragrant root of the birana grass. Let not Mara crush you again and again, as a flood crushes a reed.

Just as a tree that has been cut down will sprout up again if its roots are left firm and whole, so too, as long as the craving lying underneath is not rooted out, suffering keeps springing up again and again.

Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, until the craving that lies dormant is rooted out, suffering springs up again and again.

When craving's many currents rush strongly toward whatever is pleasing, they sweep the misguided person away, carried off by the flood of their own passionate thoughts.

The misguided man in whom the thirty-six currents of craving strongly rush toward pleasurable objects, is swept away by the flood of his passionate thoughts. [21]

These currents of craving flow everywhere, and the creeping vine of desire sprouts and grows. Seeing that the vine has sprung up, cut off its root with wisdom.

Everywhere these currents flow, and the creeper (of craving) sprouts and grows. Seeing that the creeper has sprung up, cut off its root with wisdom.

Watered by craving, pleasant feelings keep arising in people, flowing in from every direction. Bent on those pleasures and always seeking enjoyment, they keep falling into birth and decay.

Flowing in (from all objects) and watered by craving, feelings of pleasure arise in beings. Bent on pleasures and seeking enjoyment, these men fall prey to birth and decay.

Beset by craving, people run about like a hare caught in a snare. Held fast by their own mental fetters, they come to suffering again and again for a long time.

Beset by craving, people run about like an entrapped hare. Held fast by mental fetters, they come to suffering again and again for a long time.

Beset by craving, people run about like a hare caught in a snare. So anyone who longs to be free of passion should work to destroy their own craving.

Beset by craving, people run about like an entrapped hare. Therefore, one who yearns to be passion-free should destroy his own craving.

Consider the one who turns away from craving to take up the forest life of a monk, and then, once freed, runs straight back to the very thing they left. Look at that person: though set free, they run back into bondage.

There is one who, turning away from desire (for household life) takes to the life of the forest (i.e., of a monk). But after being freed from the household, he runs back to it. Behold that man! Though freed, he runs back to that very bondage! [22]

The wise say the strongest fetter is not one made of iron, wood, or hemp. Far stronger is the infatuation and longing for jewels and ornaments, for children and partner, a chain that drags one downward and, though it seems loose, is hard to slip free of.

That is not a strong fetter, the wise say, which is made of iron, wood or hemp. But the infatuation and longing for jewels and ornaments, children and wives — that, they say, is a far stronger fetter, which pulls one downward and, though seemingly loose, is hard to remove. This, too, the wise cut off. Giving up sensual pleasure, and without any longing, they renounce the world.

That, the wise say, is the strong fetter: the one that drags you down, that seems to yield yet is so hard to undo. Even this they cut through, and giving up sensual pleasure, with no more longing, they let go and renounce the world.

That is not a strong fetter, the wise say, which is made of iron, wood or hemp. But the infatuation and longing for jewels and ornaments, children and wives — that, they say, is a far stronger fetter, which pulls one downward and, though seemingly loose, is hard to remove. This, too, the wise cut off. Giving up sensual pleasure, and without any longing, they renounce the world.

Those caught up in craving fall back into its swirling current, like a spider sliding down the web it spun itself. The wise cut even this; with no more longing, they leave all suffering behind and renounce the world.

Those who are lust-infatuated fall back into the swirling current (of samsara) like a spider on its self-spun web. This, too, the wise cut off. Without any longing, they abandon all suffering and renounce the world.

Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present, and cross over to the far shore of existence. With the mind wholly freed, you will come no more to birth and death.

Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence. With mind wholly liberated, you shall come no more to birth and death.

For someone tormented by restless thoughts, ruled by passion and always chasing what looks pleasing, craving only grows stronger, and so they make their own fetter all the tighter.

For a person tormented by evil thoughts, who is passion-dominated and given to the pursuit of pleasure, his craving steadily grows. He makes the fetter strong, indeed.

But one who delights in quieting restless thoughts, who reflects on what is unlovely and stays steadily mindful: it is they who will make an end of craving and tear apart Mara's fetter.

He who delights in subduing evil thoughts, who meditates on the impurities and is ever mindful — it is he who will make an end of craving and rend asunder Mara’s fetter.

One who has reached the goal, fearless, free of craving, without passion, having plucked out the thorns of existence, for them this is the very last body.

He who has reached the goal, is fearless, free from craving, passionless, and has plucked out the thorns of existence — for him this is the last body.

Free of craving and clinging, skilled in drawing out the true meaning of the teaching and how its words fit together: such a one bears their final body. They are rightly called profoundly wise, a great human being.

He who is free from craving and attachment, is perfect in uncovering the true meaning of the Teaching, and knows the arrangement of the sacred texts in correct sequence — he, indeed, is the bearer of his final body. He is truly called the profoundly wise one, the great man.

I have conquered all, I have known all, yet I cling to none of what is conquered or known. Having given up all, freed by the ending of craving, having understood it all for myself, whom should I call my teacher?

A victor am I over all, all have I known. Yet unattached am I to all that is conquered and known. Abandoning all, I am freed through the destruction of craving. Having thus directly comprehended all by myself, whom shall I call my teacher? [23]

The gift of the teaching surpasses every gift; the taste of the teaching surpasses every taste; delight in the teaching surpasses every delight. And the ending of craving conquers all suffering.

The gift of Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the Dhamma excels all tastes; the delight in Dhamma excels all delights. The Craving-Freed vanquishes all suffering.

Riches ruin only the foolish, never those who seek the far shore. Through his craving for riches the foolish person ruins himself, just as he would ruin others.

Riches ruin only the foolish, not those in quest of the Beyond. By craving for riches the witless man ruins himself as well as others.

Weeds are the ruin of fields, and lust is the ruin of people. So whatever is given to those free of lust yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of fields, lust is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of lust yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the ruin of fields, and hatred is the ruin of people. So whatever is given to those free of hatred yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of fields, hatred is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of hatred yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the ruin of fields, and delusion is the ruin of people. So whatever is given to those free of delusion yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of fields, delusion is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of delusion yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the ruin of fields, and desire is the ruin of people. So whatever is given to those free of desire yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of fields, desire is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of desire yields abundant fruit.