Craving

The craving of a heedless man grows like the Maluva

creeper. Like a monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he

leaps from life to life.

For one who in the world is overcome by the craving

that clings, his miseries increase like Birana grass after

the rains.

For one who in this world can overcome this craving

that clings and is so difficult to master, his sorrows

fall away like water from a lotus leaf.

To all who are gathered here, I say for your welfare:

pull out the roots of your craving, as you uproot

Birana grass. Do not let Mara crush you again and

again as a flood crushes a reed.

As a tree, though felled, springs up once more if the

roots remain intact, even so sorrow will return again

and again until all craving is rooted out.

The misguided man, who cannot resist the thirty-six

strong currents of craving, is swept away by the flood

of his eagerness for pleasure.

Everywhere these currents flow and the creeper (of

craving) springs up and increases. Wherever you see

it springing up, cut out its roots with the force of

wisdom.

Allowing their minds to be attracted by the enjoyment

of transient objects, men who crave pleasure become

a prey to birth and to decay. 

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Beset by craving, men run around like a hare in a

trap. Bound by the chains of attachment, they come

again and again to sorrow.

Beset by craving, men run around like a hare in a

trap. Therefore, O Bhikkhu, desiring deliverance from

passion, destroy your craving.

One who, delivered from craving, yet runs back to it,

lo, he is like a freed man who returns to bondage.

What the wise call a strong bond is not made of iron,

wood or rope; but the craving for jewels and orna-

ments, for wife and children, is a far stronger bond.

The wise say that it pulls you downward, and though

it seems to be loose, it is hard to be rid of. This too

the wise cut off; renouncing the pleasures of the sen-

ses, free from craving, they take to the homeless life.

Those who are bound by their passions are drawn

back into the stream, like a spider caught in his own

web. This too the wise cut off; renouncing the plea-

sures of the senses, free from craving, they take to the

homeless life.

Be free from the past, be free from the future, be free

from the present. Cross over to the other shore of

existence; when the mind is wholly delivered, you shall

come no more to birth and death.

One who is troubled by evil thoughts, who is con-

trolled by his passions, who seeks only pleasure, his

craving grows steadily; he makes his bonds strong

indeed.

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One who delights in subduing evil thoughts, who is

vigilant and can distinguish impurities, he will put an

end   286  to his cravings, he shall break the bonds of Mara.

He who has reached the goal, who is without fear and

free from craving and impurity, he has plucked out

the thorns of existence; this is his last incarnation.

One who is free from craving, unattached, who knows

the words and their meanings, who knows the arrange-

ment of the texts in their sequence, he indeed has put

on his last body. He alone is called “The Man of

Great Wisdom.”

I have vanquished all, I know all; unconditioned, all-

renouncing, delivered by the extinction of craving,

having understood all by myself, whom shall I call my

teacher?

The gift of Truth excels all gifts; the savour of Truth

excels all savours; delight in Truth excels all delights;

deliverance from craving overcomes all suffering.

Riches ruin the fool, but not one who seeks the other

shore. By craving for riches, the fool ruins himself and

others with him.

Weeds are the bane of the fields; passion the bane of

mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed

from passions yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of the fields; hatred the bane of

mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed

from hatred yields abundant fruit.

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Weeds are the bane of the fields; delusion the bane of

mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed

from delusion yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of the fields; desires the bane of

mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed

from desires yields abundant fruit.

We shall keep the last one to meditate on.

8 August 1958

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