If There is DesireAtthirāgasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, these four fuels maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born.“Cattārome, bhikkhave, āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya. What four?Katame cattāro? Edible food, whether solid or subtle; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.Kabaḷīkāro āhāro oḷāriko vā sukhumo vā, phasso dutiyo, manosañcetanā tatiyā, viññāṇaṁ catutthaṁ. These are the four fuels that maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born.Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya.

If there is desire, relishing, and craving for edible food, consciousness becomes established there and grows.Kabaḷīkāre ce, bhikkhave, āhāre atthi rāgo atthi nandī atthi taṇhā, patiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived.Yattha patiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ, atthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are conceived, there is the growth of choices.Yattha atthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, atthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices grow, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha atthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, atthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, atthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say this is full of sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, sasokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, sadaraṁ saupāyāsanti vadāmi.

If there is desire, relishing, and craving for contact as fuel …Phasse ce, bhikkhave, āhāre …pe… If there is desire, relishing, and craving for mental intention as fuel …manosañcetanāya ce, bhikkhave, āhāre … If there is desire, relishing, and craving for consciousness as fuel, consciousness becomes established there and grows.viññāṇe ce, bhikkhave, āhāre atthi rāgo atthi nandī atthi taṇhā, patiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived.Yattha patiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ, atthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are conceived, there is the growth of choices.Yattha atthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, atthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices grow, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha atthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, atthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, atthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say this is full of sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, sasokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, sadaraṁ saupāyāsanti vadāmi.

Suppose an artist or painter had some dye, red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. And on a polished plank or a wall or a canvas they’d create the form of a woman or a man, whole in its major and minor limbs.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rajako vā cittakārako vā sati rajanāya vā lākhāya vā haliddiyā vā nīliyā vā mañjiṭṭhāya vā suparimaṭṭhe vā phalake bhittiyā vā dussapaṭṭe vā itthirūpaṁ vā purisarūpaṁ vā abhinimmineyya sabbaṅgapaccaṅgaṁ;

In the same way, if there is desire, relishing, and craving for edible food, consciousness becomes established there and grows.evameva kho, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāre ce āhāre atthi rāgo atthi nandī atthi taṇhā, patiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived.Yattha patiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ, atthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are conceived, there is the growth of choices.Yattha atthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, atthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices grow, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha atthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, atthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, atthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say this is full of sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, sasokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, sadaraṁ saupāyāsanti vadāmi.

If there is desire, relishing, and craving for contact as fuel …Phasse ce, bhikkhave, āhāre …pe… If there is desire, relishing, and craving for mental intention as fuel …manosañcetanāya ce, bhikkhave, āhāre … If there is desire, relishing, and craving for consciousness as fuel, consciousness becomes established there and grows.viññāṇe ce, bhikkhave, āhāre atthi rāgo atthi nandī atthi taṇhā, patiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived.Yattha patiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ virūḷhaṁ, atthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are conceived, there is the growth of choices.Yattha atthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, atthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices grow, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha atthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, atthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, atthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say this is full of sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha atthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, sasokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, sadaraṁ saupāyāsanti vadāmi.

If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for edible food, consciousness does not become established there and doesn’t grow.Kabaḷīkāre ce, bhikkhave, āhāre natthi rāgo natthi nandī natthi taṇhā, appatiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, name and form are not conceived.Yattha appatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ, natthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are not conceived, there is no growth of choices.Yattha natthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, natthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices don’t grow, there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha natthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, natthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha natthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, natthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say there’s no sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha natthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, asokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, adaraṁ anupāyāsanti vadāmi.

If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for contact as fuel …Phasse ce, bhikkhave, āhāre …pe… If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for mental intention as fuel …manosañcetanāya ce, bhikkhave, āhāre … If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for consciousness as fuel, consciousness doesn’t become established there and doesn’t grow.viññāṇe ce, bhikkhave, āhāre natthi rāgo natthi nandī natthi taṇhā, appatiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, name and form are not conceived.Yattha appatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ, natthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are not conceived, there is no growth of choices.Yattha natthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, natthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices don’t grow, there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha natthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, natthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha natthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, natthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say there’s no sorrow, anguish, and distress.Yattha natthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ, asokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, adaraṁ anupāyāsanti vadāmi.

Suppose there was a bungalow or a hall with a peaked roof, with windows on the northern, southern, or eastern side. When the sun rises and a ray of light enters through a window, where would it land?”Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgāraṁ vā kūṭāgārasālaṁ vā uttarāya vā dakkhiṇāya vā pācīnāya vā vātapānā sūriye uggacchante vātapānena rasmi pavisitvā kvāssa patiṭṭhitā”ti?

“On the western wall, sir.”“Pacchimāyaṁ, bhante, bhittiyan”ti.

“If there was no western wall, where would it land?”“Pacchimā ce, bhikkhave, bhitti nāssa kvāssa patiṭṭhitā”ti?

“On the ground, sir.”“Pathaviyaṁ, bhante”ti.

“If there was no ground, where would it land?”“Pathavī ce, bhikkhave, nāssa kvāssa patiṭṭhitā”ti?

“In water, sir.”“Āpasmiṁ, bhante”ti.

“If there was no water, where would it land?”“Āpo ce, bhikkhave, nāssa kvāssa patiṭṭhitā”ti?

“It wouldn’t land, sir.”“Appatiṭṭhitā, bhante”ti.

“In the same way, if there is no desire, relishing, and craving for edible food, consciousness does not become established there and doesn’t grow. …“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāre ce āhāre natthi rāgo natthi nandī natthi taṇhā …pe….

If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for contact as fuel …Phasse ce, bhikkhave, āhāre … If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for mental intention as fuel …manosañcetanāya ce, bhikkhave, āhāre … If there is no desire, relishing, and craving for consciousness as fuel, consciousness doesn’t become established there and doesn’t grow.viññāṇe ce, bhikkhave, āhāre natthi rāgo natthi nandī natthi taṇhā, appatiṭṭhitaṁ tattha viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ. Where consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, name and form are not conceived.Yattha appatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ, natthi tattha nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Where name and form are not conceived, there is no growth of choices.Yattha natthi nāmarūpassa avakkanti, natthi tattha saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi. Where choices don’t grow, there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future.Yattha natthi saṅkhārānaṁ vuddhi, natthi tattha āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti. Where there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future.Yattha natthi āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti, natthi tattha āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ. Where there is no rebirth, old age, and death in the future, I say there’s no sorrow, anguish, and distress.”Yattha natthi āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇaṁ asokaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, adaraṁ anupāyāsanti vadāmī”ti.