Craving

334. The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

334. A careless man's craving grows like a climbing vine. He runs from life to life, like a monkey searching for fruit in the forest.

335. Whomsoever this fierce thirst overcomes, full of poison, in this world, his sufferings increase like the abounding Birana grass.

335. Whoever is overcome by this fierce, poisonous craving in this world suffers more and more, like Birana grass growing abundantly.

336. He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered in this world, sufferings fall off from him, like water-drops from a lotus leaf.

336. Whoever overcomes this fierce craving, so hard to conquer in this world, is free of suffering. Suffering falls away like water drops from a lotus leaf.

337. This salutary word I tell you, ‘Do ye, as many as are here assembled, dig up the root of thirst, as he who wants the sweet-scented Usira root must dig up the Birana grass, that Mara (the tempter) may not crush you again and again, as the stream crushes the reeds.’

337. I offer you this helpful advice: ‘All of you gathered here, dig up the root of craving. Do so as someone seeking the sweet-scented Usira root must dig up the Birana grass. Dig it up so that Mara (the tempter) may not crush you again and again, as a stream crushes reeds.’

338. As a tree, even though it has been cut down, is firm so long as its root is safe, and grows again, thus, unless the feeders of thirst are destroyed, the pain (of life) will return again and again.

338. Even when cut down, a tree remains strong and grows again as long as its root is unharmed. In the same way, unless the sources of craving are destroyed, the pain of life will return again and again.

339. He whose thirst running towards pleasure is exceeding strong in the thirty-six channels, the waves will carry away that misguided man, viz. his desires which are set on passion.

339. If a man's thirst for pleasure runs very strong through the thirty-six channels, waves will sweep that misguided man away. These waves are his desires, fixed on passion.

340. The channels run everywhere, the creeper (of passion) stands sprouting; if you see the creeper springing up, cut its root by means of knowledge.

340. The channels run everywhere. The vine (of passion) is sprouting. If you see the vine springing up, use knowledge to cut its root.

341. A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; sunk in lust and looking for pleasure, men undergo (again and again) birth and decay.

341. A creature's pleasures are lavish and indulgent. Sunk in lust and seeking pleasure, people go through birth and aging (again and again).

342. Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; held in fetters and bonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again.

342. People driven by craving run about like a hare caught in a snare. Bound by chains and restraints, they suffer for a long time, again and again.

343. Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; let therefore the mendicant drive out thirst, by striving after passionlessness for himself.

343. Driven by craving, people run about like a hare caught in a snare. So a mendicant should drive out craving by striving to free himself from passion.

344. He who having got rid of the forest (of lust) (i.e. after having reached Nirvana) gives himself over to forest-life (i.e. to lust), and who, when removed from the forest (i.e. from lust), runs to the forest (i.e. to lust), look at that man! though free, he runs into bondage.

344. A man escapes the forest of lust by reaching Nirvana, but then gives himself over to forest life again, to lust. Once free of the forest of lust, he runs back into it. Look at that man! Though free, he runs back into bondage.

345. Wise people do not call that a strong fetter which is made of iron, wood, or hemp; far stronger is the care for precious stones and rings, for sons and a wife.

345. Wise people do not consider bonds made of iron, wood, or hemp strong. Far stronger are the bonds of attachment to precious stones and rings, to sons and a wife.

346. That fetter wise people call strong which drags down, yields, but is difficult to undo; after having cut this at last, people leave the world, free from cares, and leaving desires and pleasures behind.

346. Wise people call a bond strong when it drags people down and gives way but is hard to break. After finally breaking this bond, people leave the world, free from worries, leaving desires and pleasures behind.

347. Those who are slaves to passions, run down with the stream (of desires), as a spider runs down the web which he has made himself; when they have cut this, at last, wise people leave the world free from cares, leaving all affection behind.

347. Those enslaved by their passions follow the stream (of desires), as a spider descends the web it made itself. When wise people finally cut free, they leave the world without cares, leaving all attachment behind.

348. Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is in the middle, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind is altogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.

348. Let go of what lies ahead, what lies behind, and what lies between as you cross to existence’s other shore. If your mind is completely free, you will not enter birth and decay again.

349. If a man is tossed about by doubts, full of strong passions, and yearning only for what is delightful, his thirst will grow more and more, and he will indeed make his fetters strong.

349. If a man is shaken by doubts, full of strong passions, and longs only for pleasure, his craving will keep growing. And he will indeed strengthen the chains that bind him.

350. If a man delights in quieting doubts, and, always reflecting, dwells on what is not delightful (the impurity of the body, &c.), he certainly will remove, nay, he will cut the fetter of Mara.

350. If a man finds joy in calming doubts and continually reflects on what is unpleasant (the body's impurity, etc.), he will certainly cast off Mara's chain. Indeed, he will cut through the chain.

351. He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who is without thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life: this will be his last body.

351. He who has reached the final goal does not tremble and is free from craving and sin. He has broken all the thorns of life. This will be his last body.

352. He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the words and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (those which are before and which are after), he has received his last body, he is called the great sage, the great man.

352. A man free from craving and attachment understands words and their meanings. He knows the order of letters (those that come before and those that come after). He has received his last body. He is called the great sage, the great man.

353. ‘I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am free from taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I am free; having learnt myself, whom shall I teach?’

353. ‘I have conquered all. I know all. In every condition of life, I am free from impurity. I have given up all, and by ending craving, I am free. Having learned on my own, whom shall I teach?’

354. The gift of the law exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the law exceeds all sweetness; the delight in the law exceeds all delights; the extinction of thirst overcomes all pain.

354. The gift of the teaching surpasses all gifts. The sweetness of the teaching surpasses all sweetness. Delight in the teaching surpasses all delights. The end of craving overcomes all pain.

355. Pleasures destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other shore; the foolish by his thirst for pleasures destroys himself, as if he were his own enemy.

355. Pleasures destroy foolish people if they do not seek the other shore. Through their craving for pleasures, foolish people destroy themselves, as if they were their own enemies.

356. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion: therefore a gift bestowed on the passionless brings great reward.

356. Weeds damage fields, and passion damages humanity. So a gift given to those free from passion brings great reward.

357. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by hatred: therefore a gift bestowed on those who do not hate brings great reward.

357. Weeds damage fields, and hatred damages humanity. So a gift given to those who do not hate brings great reward.

358. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by vanity: therefore a gift bestowed on those who are free from vanity brings great reward.

358. Weeds damage fields, and vanity damages people. So a gift given to those free from vanity brings great reward.

359. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by lust: therefore a gift bestowed on those who are free from lust brings great reward.

359. Weeds damage fields, and lust damages humanity. So a gift given to those who are free from lust brings great reward.