iti.58 Itivuttaka

Craving

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, there are these three cravings. What three? The craving for sensual pleasures, the craving for being, and the craving for non-being. These are the three.”

Those fettered by the bond of craving,
Whose minds delight in being this or that,
Are people in the bondage of Māra
Who enjoy no security from bondage.
Such beings continue in saṁsāra,
Going on from birth to death.

But those who have abandoned craving,
Free from craving for being this or that,
Having attained the taints’ destruction,
Though in the world, have gone beyond.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Craving

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, there are these three cravings.
What three?
Craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence.
These are the three cravings.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“Bound by craving, minds full of desire
for rebirth in this or that state,
yoked by Māra’s yoke, these people
find no sanctuary from the yoke.
Sentient beings continue to transmigrate,
with ongoing birth and death.
Those who have given up craving,
rid of craving for rebirth in this or that state,
they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,
having reached the ending of defilements.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.