Upadana Sutta
    Clinging
    Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

     

    Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One said to the monks: “In one who keeps focusing on the allure of cling-able phenomena (or phenomena that offer sustenance equals the five aggregates), craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair come into play. Such is the origin of this entire mass of suffering and stress.

    “Just as if a great mass of fire of ten… twenty… thirty or forty cartloads of timber were burning, and into it a man would time and again throw dried grass, dried cow dung, and dried timber, so that the great mass of fire — thus nourished, thus sustained — would burn for a long, long time. In the same way, in one who keeps focusing on the allure of cling-able phenomena, craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair come into play. Such is the origin of this entire mass of suffering and stress.

    “Now, in one who keeps focusing on the drawbacks of cling-able phenomena, craving ceases. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging, illness and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering and stress.

    “Just as if a great mass of fire of ten… twenty… thirty or forty cartloads of timber were burning, into which a man simply would not time and again throw dried grass, dried cow dung, or dried timber, so that the great mass of fire — its original sustenance being consumed, and no other being offered — would, without nutriment, go out. In the same way, in one who keeps focusing on the drawbacks of cling-able phenomena, craving ceases. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging, illness and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering and stress.”

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