Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Satt'Āvāsa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Nines
Chapter III: Spheres of Beings
Sutta 23
Taṇhā Mūlaka Suttaṃ
Craving
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There he addressed the monks, saying: "Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied; and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, I will teach the nine[1] conditions rooted in craving.
Listen, pay heed, I will speak."
"Yes, lord," they replied; and the Exalted One said:
"And what are the nine conditions rooted in craving?
Pursuit comes into being because of craving;
gain because of pursuit;
decision because of gain;
passion and desire to do because of decision;
tenacity because of passion and desire to do;
possession because of tenacity;
avarice because of possession;
hoarding[2] because of avarice;
and many a bad and wicked state of things
arises from the act of hoarding -
blows,
wounds,
strife,
contradiction,
retort,
quarrelling,
slander,
lies.[3]
These, monks, are the nine conditions that have their root in craving."
[1] This recurs at D. ii, 58; iii, 289; Vbh. 390. See Dial. ii, 55 f.
[2] Ārakkhā, the text omits, but has as v.l. -o and -ā; D. ii, and iii, loc. cit., -o, only; the Comy. -ā. Comy. adds: by concealing behind a door; by guarding it in a casket. E. J. Thomas, Life, 198.
[3] This stock phrase recurs at D., loc. cit.; M. i, 110, 410; Vvsm. 326.
