English
Chapter on Craving For a person living heedlessly, craving grows like a creeper; He floats from existence to existence, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest. Whom this wretched, poisonous craving overcomes in the world; His sorrows grow, like the Bīraṇa grass after rain. But whom overcomes this wretched, hard-to-overcome craving in the world; From him sorrows fall away, like water drops from a lotus leaf. This I tell you, for your good, all who are gathered here; Dig up the root of craving, as one seeking usīra digs up bīraṇa grass; Lest Māra break you again and again, as a torrent breaks a reed. Just as a tree, though cut down, grows again if its root is firm and unharmed; So too, this suffering arises again and again, if the latent tendency of craving is not uprooted. For whom the thirty-six streams, flowing strongly towards pleasant things; Carry away the misguided person, thoughts rooted in passion. Streams flow everywhere, the creeper springs up and stands; Seeing that creeper arisen, cut its root with wisdom. Flowing and clinging, pleasures arise for a being; Those who are attached to pleasure, seeking happiness, those indeed are people subject to birth and decay. People, led by craving, scurry about like a snared rabbit; Bound by fetters and attachments, they come to suffering again and again for a long time. People, led by craving, scurry about like a snared rabbit; Therefore, one should dispel craving, desiring one's own dispassion. He who is free from the forest (of craving), yet attached to the forest (of desires), though freed from the forest (of craving), he runs back to the forest (of desires); Come, look at that person, though freed, he runs back to bondage. The wise do not call that a strong bond, which is made of iron, wood, or hemp. Deeply attached to jeweled earrings, and the longing for sons and wives. This, the wise say, is a strong bond, dragging down, loose, hard to escape; But cutting even this, they wander forth, unattached, abandoning sensual pleasures. Those who, attached to passion, fall into the stream, like a spider into its self-made web; But cutting even this, the wise go forth, unattached, abandoning all suffering. Release the front, release the back, release the middle, crosser of existence; With a mind everywhere liberated, you will not again come to birth and decay. For the being agitated by thoughts, with intense craving, seeing beauty; Craving grows ever more, this indeed makes a strong bond. And he who delights in the calming of thoughts, always mindful, meditating on impurity; He indeed will make an end, he will cut Mara's bond. Reached the end, fearless, free from craving, without blemish; He has cut the darts of existence, this is his final body. Free from craving, ungrasping, skilled in the interpretation of words; Knowing the combination of letters, and their sequence; He is indeed called "one with the final body, great in wisdom, a great person." I am the vanquisher of all, the knower of all, untainted by all things; Having abandoned all, liberated through the destruction of craving, having understood by myself, whom should I point to? The gift of Dhamma surpasses all gifts, the taste of Dhamma surpasses all tastes; The delight in Dhamma surpasses all delights, the destruction of craving surpasses all suffering. Riches destroy the foolish, but not those seeking the far shore; By craving for riches, the foolish, destroys others as well as himself. Fields are harmed by weeds, this generation is harmed by passion; Therefore, to those free from passion, a gift is of great fruit. Fields are harmed by weeds, this generation is harmed by hatred; Therefore, to those free from hatred, a gift is of great fruit. Fields are harmed by weeds, this generation is harmed by delusion; Therefore, to those To those free from delusion, given is of great fruit. (Fields are flawed by weeds, this populace is flawed by desire; Therefore, indeed, to those free from desire, given is of great fruit.) Fields are flawed by weeds, this populace is flawed by craving; Therefore, indeed, to those free from craving, given is of great fruit. The twenty-fourth Chapter on Craving is concluded.