“Purimā, bhikkhave, koṭi na paññāyati bhavataṇhāya: ‘ito pubbe bhavataṇhā nāhosi, atha pacchā samabhavī’ti. “Bhikkhus, this is said: ‘No first point of craving for being is evident, before which there was no craving for being, and afterwards it came to be.’ *This disproves the rather prevalent understanding of ignorance of craving as somethingthat arises at distinct “moments” of our experience and that can be dispelled as a matter of choice. Craving is a much subtler phenomenon than the particular, blatant urges that almost anyone can recognize in themselves, and that is why seeing what craving is to begin with—and understanding that it’s the root of suffering—is *noble insight*, not common sense. Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana paññāyati: ‘idappaccayā bhavataṇhā’ti. Still, it is evident that ‘craving for being depends on this.’
Bhavataṇhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that craving for being has its nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro bhavataṇhāya? And what is the nutriment for craving for being? ‘Avijjā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Ignorance.’
Avijjampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that ignorance has its nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro avijjāya? And what is the nutriment for ignorance? ‘Pañca nīvaraṇā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘The five hindrances.’
Pañca nīvaraṇepāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. I say that the five hindrances have their nutriment, they’re not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro pañcannaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ? And what is the nutriment for the five hindrances? ‘Tīṇi duccaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘The three kinds of misconduct.’ *The five hindrances are found at the level of one’s overarching attitudes towards the world and behaviors that are exhibited on a regular basis. This is why it is misguided to think they can be “suppressed” during discrete “sessions” of concentration practice—or rather, it’s misguided to think that “suppression” of hindrances is the goal to begin with. One’s actions no longer being driven by the pulls of the hindrances is the goal, not the complete suspension of all action, and one’s overall lifestyle cannot possibly be exempted from those efforts. This is why the abandonment of hindrances is a late stage of [the Gradual Training](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn107). See [The Truth About the Five Hindrances](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UczBkf8eqxI) and [AN 6.73](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an6.73).
Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duccaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. I say that the three kinds of misconduct have their nutriment, they’re not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ duccaritānaṁ? And what is the nutriment for the three kinds of misconduct? ‘Indriyaasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Lack of sense restraint.’ *[Restraining the Senses](https://www.hillsidehermitage.org/restraining-the-senses/)
Indriyaasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that lack of sense restraint has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro indriyaasaṁvarassa? And what is the nutriment for lack of sense restraint? ‘Asatāsampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Lack of recollection-and-awareness.’
Asatāsampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that lack of recollection-and-awareness has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro asatā sampajaññassa? And what is the nutriment for lack of recollection-and-awareness? ‘Ayonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Not-through-the-origin attention.’ *[“Wise Attention” — Misunderstanding of Yoniso Manasikāra]; [MN 2](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn2)
Ayonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that not-through-the-origin attention has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro ayonisomanasikārassa? And what is the nutriment for not-through-the-origin attention? ‘Assaddhiyan’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Lack of faith.’ *This is a succinct but momentous statement: if one lacks faith in the right instruction, no matter how much one has made sense of _yoniso manasikāra_ on an intellectual level, whatever one takes the “origin” (_yoni_) to be will not actually be the origin, and that is especially the cease if the prerequisites regarding restraint of behavior have not been met. _Yoniso manasikāra_ requires going against the grain of the mind’s tendencies in order to actually qualify as such; it requires leaving no stone unturned. Faith—the willingness to put any view or conviction one might have second to the external instruction—is the only thing that can prevent one from stopping short of that. One’s reasoning is inherently biased by ignorance, and thus, it alone cannot overcome _avijjā_.
Assaddhiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that lack of faith has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro assaddhiyassa? And what is the nutriment for lack of faith? ‘Assaddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Not listening to the true teaching.’
Assaddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that not listening to the true teaching has its nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro assaddhammassavanassa? And what is the nutriment for not listening to the true teaching? ‘Asappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Not associating with true persons.’
Iti kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti, avijjā paripūrā bhavataṇhaṁ paripūreti; In this way, when the factor of not associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of not listening to the true teaching. When the factor of not listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of lack of faith … not-through-the-origin attention … lack of recollection-and-awareness … lack of sense restraint …the three kinds of misconduct … the five hindrances. When the five hindrances are fulfilled, they fulfill ignorance. When ignorance is fulfilled, it fulfills craving for being. evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. That’s how craving for being is nourished, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti, kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā mahāsamuddaṁ sāgaraṁ paripūrenti; It’s like when it rains heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean. evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. That’s how the ocean is nourished, and that’s how it’s filled up.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, assaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti, avijjā paripūrā bhavataṇhaṁ paripūreti; In the same way, when the factor of not associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of not listening to the true teaching. When the factor of not listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of lack of faith … not-through-the-origin attention … lack of recollection-and-awareness … lack of sense restraint …the three kinds of misconduct … the five hindrances. When the five hindrances are fulfilled, they fulfill ignorance. When ignorance is fulfilled, it fulfills craving for being. evametissā bhavataṇhāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. That’s how craving for being is nourished, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.
Vijjāvimuttimpāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that knowledge-and-liberation has its nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro vijjāvimuttiyā? And what is the nutriment for knowledge-and-liberation? ‘Satta bojjhaṅgā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘The seven awakening factors.’
Sattapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅge sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. I say that the seven awakening factors have their nutriment, they’re not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ? And what is the nutriment for the seven awakening factors? ‘Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘The four foundations of recollection.’
Cattāropāhaṁ, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhāne sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre. I say that the four foundations of recollection have their nutriment, they’re not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ? And what is the nutriment for the four foundations of recollection? ‘Tīṇi sucaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘The three kinds of good conduct.’ *See also SN 46.6 and SN 47.3. One is immeasurably closer to the four satipaṭṭhānas by keeping the precepts and cultivating virtuous and restrained behavior than by concentrating on one’s breathing sensations X amount of hours per day. The former involves a degree of _yoniso manasikāra_ intrinsically; the latter is the active cultivation of the opposite.
Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sucaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni. I say that the three kinds of good conduct have their nutriment, they’re not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro tiṇṇannaṁ sucaritānaṁ? And what is the nutriment for the three kinds of good conduct? ‘Indriyasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Sense restraint.’
Indriyasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that sense restraint has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa? And what is the nutriment for sense restraint? ‘Satisampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Recollection-and-awareness.’
Satisampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that recollection-and-awareness has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa? And what is the nutriment for recollection-and-awareness? ‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Through-the-origin attention.’
Yonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that through-the-origin attention has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro yonisomanasikārassa? And what is the nutriment for through-the-origin attention? ‘Saddhā’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Faith.’
Saddhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that faith has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro saddhāya? And what is the nutriment for faith? ‘Saddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Listening to the true teaching.’
Saddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ. I say that listening to the true teaching has it’s nutriment, it’s not without nutriment. Ko cāhāro saddhammassavanassa? And what is the nutriment for listening to the true teaching? ‘Sappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ. You should say: ‘Associating with true persons.’
Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, saddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ saddhaṁ paripūreti, saddhā paripūrā yonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, yonisomanasikāro paripūro satisampajaññaṁ paripūreti, satisampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi sucaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi sucaritāni paripūrāni cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā paripūrā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, satta bojjhaṅgā paripūrā vijjāvimuttiṁ paripūrenti; In the same way, when the factor of associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to the true teaching. When the factor of listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of faith … through-the-origin attention … recollection-and-awareness … sense restraint …the three kinds of good conduct … the four foundations of recollection … the seven awakening factors. When the seven awakening factors are fulfilled, they fulfill knowledge-and-liberation. evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. That’s how knowledge-and-liberation is nourished, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ …pe… It’s like when it rains heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean. evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. That’s how the ocean is nourished, and that’s how it’s filled up. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti …pe… In the same way, when the factor of associating with true persons is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of listening to the true teaching. When the factor of listening to the true teaching is fulfilled, it fulfills the factor of faith … through-the-origin attention … recollection-and-awareness … sense restraint …the three kinds of good conduct … the four foundations of recollection … the seven awakening factors. When the seven awakening factors are fulfilled, they fulfill knowledge-and-liberation. evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūrī”ti. That’s how knowledge-and-liberation is nourished, and that’s how it’s fulfilled.”
Dutiyaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an10.62