Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
12. Nidāna Saṃyutta
6. Rukkha Vagga
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Part II.
The Book of Causation Nidāna-Vagga
12. Connected Discourses on Causation
6. Suffering (or The Tree)
Sutta 53
Saṇyojana Suttaṃ
Fetters
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connected-discourses-buddha.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available
at http://www.wisdompubs.org/terms-use.
"Bhikkhus, when one dwells contemplating gratification in things that can fetter, craving increases.
With craving as condition, clinging [comes to be]; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.
Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
"Suppose, bhikkhus, an oil lamp was burning in dependence on oil and a wick, and a man would pour oil into it and adjust the wick from time to time.
Thus, sustained by that oil, fuelled by it, that oil lamp would burn for a very long time.
So too, when one lives contemplating gratification in things that can fetter, craving increases. ...
Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
"Bhikkhus, when one dwells contemplating danger in things that can fetter, craving ceases.
With the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence ... cessation of birth ... aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.
Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
"Suppose, bhikkhus, an oil lamp was burning in dependence on oil and a wick, and the man would not pour oil into it or adjust the wick from time to time.
Thus, when the former supply of fuel is exhausted, that oil lamp, not being fed with any more fuel, lacking sustenance, would be extinguished.
So too, when one lives contemplating danger in things that can fetter, craving ceases. ...
Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering."