Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 38

Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

The Longer Discourse on the Ending of Craving · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā,
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ,
viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ,
nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ,
saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso,
phassapaccayā vedanā,
vedanāpaccayā taṇhā,
taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ,
upādānapaccayā bhavo,
bhavapaccayā jāti,
jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

So, ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
jātipaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṁ, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Jātipaccayā, bhante, jarāmaraṇaṁ;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan”ti.
“Bhavapaccayā jātīti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
bhavapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, jāti, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Bhavapaccayā, bhante, jāti;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
bhavapaccayā jātī”ti.
“Upādānapaccayā bhavoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
upādānapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, bhavo, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Upādānapaccayā, bhante, bhavo;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
upādānapaccayā bhavo”ti.
“Taṇhāpaccayā upādānanti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ, taṇhāpaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, upādānaṁ, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Taṇhāpaccayā, bhante, upādānaṁ;

‘Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.’ That’s what I said. Is that how you see this or not?” “That’s how we see it.” “‘Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.’ …

evaṁ no ettha hoti—
taṇhāpaccayā upādānan”ti.
“Vedanāpaccayā taṇhāti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
vedanāpaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, taṇhā, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Vedanāpaccayā, bhante, taṇhā;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
vedanāpaccayā taṇhā”ti.
“Phassapaccayā vedanāti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
phassapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, vedanā, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Phassapaccayā, bhante, vedanā;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
phassapaccayā vedanā”ti.
“Saḷāyatanapaccayā phassoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
saḷāyatanapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, phasso, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Saḷāyatanapaccayā, bhante, phasso;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso”ti.
“Nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatananti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;

Thus it is for us here: with craving as condition, clinging. “With feeling as condition, craving” — now this was said. But, monks, is craving with feeling as condition, or is it not, or how is it here? “Venerable sir, craving is with feeling as condition; thus it is for us here: with feeling as condition, craving.” “With contact as condition, feeling” — now this was said. But, monks, is feeling with contact as condition, or is it not, or how is it here? “Venerable sir, feeling is with contact as condition; thus it is for us here: with contact as condition, feeling.” “With the six sense bases as condition, contact” — now this was said. But, monks, is contact with the six sense bases as condition, or is it not, or how is it here? “Venerable sir, contact is with the six sense bases as condition; thus it is for us here: with the six sense bases as condition, contact.” “With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases” — now this was said.

nāmarūpapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, saḷāyatanaṁ, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Nāmarūpapaccayā, bhante, saḷāyatanaṁ;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanan”ti.
“Viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpanti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
viññāṇapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṁ, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Viññāṇapaccayā, bhante, nāmarūpaṁ;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan”ti.
“Saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇanti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
saṅkhārapaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Saṅkhārapaccayā, bhante, viññāṇaṁ;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇan”ti.
“Avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
avijjāpaccayā nu kho, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Avijjāpaccayā, bhante, saṅkhārā;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā”ti.

‘Ignorance is a requirement for choices.’ That’s what I said. Is that how you see this or not?” “That’s how we see it.”

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, tumhepi evaṁ vadetha, ahampi evaṁ vadāmi—
imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati, yadidaṁ—
avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā,
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ,
viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ,
nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ,
saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso,
phassapaccayā vedanā,
vedanāpaccayā taṇhā,
taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ,
upādānapaccayā bhavo,
bhavapaccayā jāti,
jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

“Good, mendicants! So both you and I say this. When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. That is: Ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho,
saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho,
viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho,
nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho,
saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho,
phassanirodhā vedanānirodho,
vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho,
taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho,
upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho,
bhavanirodhā jātinirodho,
jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā nirujjhanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

Jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodhoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
jātinirodhā nu kho, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇanirodho, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Jātinirodhā, bhante, jarāmaraṇanirodho;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho”ti.
“Bhavanirodhā jātinirodhoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
bhavanirodhā nu kho, bhikkhave, jātinirodho, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Bhavanirodhā, bhante, jātinirodho;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
bhavanirodhā jātinirodho”ti.
“Upādānanirodhā bhavanirodhoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
upādānanirodhā nu kho, bhikkhave, bhavanirodho, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Upādānanirodhā, bhante, bhavanirodho;
evaṁ no ettha hoti—
upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho”ti.
“Taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodhoti iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ;
taṇhānirodhā nu kho, bhikkhave, upādānanirodho, no vā, kathaṁ vā ettha hotī”ti?
“Taṇhānirodhā, bhante, upādānanirodho;

‘When rebirth ceases, old age and death cease.’ That’s what I said. Is that how you see this or not?” “That’s how we see it.” “‘When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases.’ …

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version