Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 38

Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

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

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“Api nu tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ jānantā evaṁ passantā yāni tāni puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ vata kotūhalamaṅgalāni tāni sārato paccāgaccheyyāthā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Nanu, bhikkhave, yadeva tumhākaṁ sāmaṁ ñātaṁ sāmaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sāmaṁ viditaṁ, tadeva tumhe vadethā”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Knowing and seeing in this way, would you believe that the observances and boisterous, superstitious rites of the various ascetics and brahmins are essential?” “No, sir.” “Aren’t you speaking only of what you have known and seen and realized for yourselves?” “Yes, sir.”

“Sādhu, bhikkhave, upanītā kho me tumhe, bhikkhave, iminā sandiṭṭhikena dhammena akālikena ehipassikena opaneyyikena paccattaṁ veditabbena viññūhi.
Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi—
iti yantaṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttanti.

“Good, mendicants! You have been guided by me with this teaching that’s apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves. For when I said that this teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves, this is what I was referring to.

Tiṇṇaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sannipātā gabbhassāvakkanti hoti.
Idha mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca na utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca na paccupaṭṭhito hoti, neva tāva gabbhassāvakkanti hoti.
Idha mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca na paccupaṭṭhito hoti, neva tāva gabbhassāvakkanti hoti.
Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca paccupaṭṭhito hoti—evaṁ tiṇṇaṁ sannipātā gabbhassāvakkanti hoti.

Mendicants, when three things come together an embryo is conceived. In a case where the mother and father come together, but the mother is not in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle, and the virile spirit is not ready, the embryo is not conceived. In a case where the mother and father come together, the mother is in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle, but the virile spirit is not ready, the embryo is not conceived. But when these three things come together—the mother and father come together, the mother is in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle, and the virile spirit is ready—an embryo is conceived.

Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, mātā nava vā dasa vā māse gabbhaṁ kucchinā pariharati mahatā saṁsayena garubhāraṁ.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, mātā navannaṁ vā dasannaṁ vā māsānaṁ accayena vijāyati mahatā saṁsayena garubhāraṁ.
Tamenaṁ jātaṁ samānaṁ sakena lohitena poseti.
Lohitañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyassa vinaye yadidaṁ mātuthaññaṁ.

The mother nurtures the embryo in her womb for nine or ten months at great risk to her heavy burden. When nine or ten months have passed, the mother gives birth at great risk to her heavy burden. When the infant is born she nourishes it with her own blood. For mother’s milk is regarded as blood in the training of the Noble One.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, kumāro vuddhimanvāya indriyānaṁ paripākamanvāya
yāni tāni kumārakānaṁ kīḷāpanakāni tehi kīḷati, seyyathidaṁ—vaṅkakaṁ ghaṭikaṁ mokkhacikaṁ ciṅgulakaṁ pattāḷhakaṁ rathakaṁ dhanukaṁ.

That boy grows up and his faculties mature. He accordingly plays childish games such as toy plows, tipcat, somersaults, pinwheels, toy measures, toy carts, and toy bows.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, kumāro vuddhimanvāya indriyānaṁ paripākamanvāya
pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappito samaṅgībhūto paricāreti—
cakkhuviññeyyehi rūpehi iṭṭhehi kantehi manāpehi piyarūpehi kāmūpasaṁhitehi rajanīyehi,
sotaviññeyyehi saddehi …
ghānaviññeyyehi gandhehi …
jivhāviññeyyehi rasehi …
kāyaviññeyyehi phoṭṭhabbehi iṭṭhehi kantehi manāpehi piyarūpehi kāmūpasaṁhitehi rajanīyehi.

That boy grows up and his faculties mature further. He accordingly amuses himself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.

So cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe sārajjati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyasati ca viharati parittacetaso.
Tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
So evaṁ anurodhavirodhaṁ samāpanno yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, so taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
Yā vedanāsu nandī tadupādānaṁ, tassupādānapaccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jāti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …pe…
ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …pe…
jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe…
kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …pe…

When they see a sight with their eyes, if it’s pleasant they desire it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. Being so full of favoring and opposing, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—they approve, welcome, and keep clinging to it. This gives rise to relishing. Relishing feelings is grasping. Their 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. When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body …

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme sārajjati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyasati ca viharati parittacetaso.
Tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
So evaṁ anurodhavirodhaṁ samāpanno yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, so taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ vedanaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
Yā vedanāsu nandī tadupādānaṁ, tassupādānapaccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jāti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

When they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they desire it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. Being so full of favoring and opposing, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—they approve, welcome, and keep clinging to it. This gives rise to relishing. Relishing feelings is grasping. Their 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.

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti.
So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ;
kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.

But consider when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He proclaims a teaching that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. He reveals an entirely full and pure spiritual life.

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