sn.12.60 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Causation

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kurus, where there was a town of the Kurus named Kammasadamma. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! This dependent origination is so deep and so deep in implications, yet to me it seems as clear as clear can be.”

“Not so, Ānanda! Not so, Ānanda! This dependent origination is deep and deep in implications. It is because of not understanding and not penetrating this Dhamma, Ānanda, that this generation has become like a tangled skein, like a knotted ball of thread, like matted reeds and rushes, and does not pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the nether world, saṁsara.

“Ānanda, when one dwells contemplating gratification in things that can be clung to, craving increases. With craving as condition, clinging comes to be…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“Suppose, Ānanda, there was a great tree, and all its roots going downwards and across would send the sap upwards. Sustained by that sap, nourished by it, that great tree would stand for a very long time. So too, when one lives contemplating gratification in things that can be clung to, craving increases…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“When, Ānanda, one dwells contemplating danger in things that can be clung to, craving ceases. With the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

“Suppose, Ānanda, there was a great tree. Then a man would come along bringing a shovel and a basket. He would cut down the tree at its foot … he would winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. Thus that great tree would be cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.

“So too, Ānanda, when one dwells contemplating danger in things that can be clung to, craving ceases. With the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence; with the cessation of existence, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

---

Sources

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma.
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:
“It’s incredible, sir! It’s amazing,
in that this dependent origination is deep and appears deep, yet to me it seems as plain as can be.”
“Not so, Ānanda! Not so, Ānanda!
This dependent origination is deep and appears deep.
It is because of not understanding and not penetrating this teaching that this population has become tangled like string, knotted like a ball of thread, and matted like rushes and reeds, and it doesn’t escape the places of loss, the bad places, the underworld, transmigration.
There are things that are prone to being grasped. When you concentrate on the gratification provided by these things, your craving grows.
Craving is a condition for grasping.
Grasping is a condition for continued existence.
Continued existence is a condition for rebirth.
Rebirth is a condition for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
Suppose there was a great tree.
And its roots going downwards and across all draw the sap upwards.
Fueled and sustained by that, the great tree would stand for a long time.
In the same way, there are things that are prone to being grasped. When you concentrate on the gratification provided by these things, your craving grows.
Craving is a condition for grasping.
Grasping is a condition for continued existence. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
There are things that are prone to being grasped. When you concentrate on the drawbacks of these things, your craving ceases.
When craving ceases, grasping ceases.
When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.
Suppose there was a great tree.
Then a person comes along with a spade and basket.
They’d cut the tree down at the roots, dig them up, and pull them out, down to the fibers and stems.
Then they’d split the tree apart, cut up the parts, and chop it into splinters. They’d dry the splinters in the wind and sun, burn them with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Then they’d winnow the ashes in a strong wind, or float them away down a swift stream.


In this way the great tree is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.
In the same way, there are things that are prone to being grasped. When you concentrate on the drawbacks of these things, your craving ceases.
When craving ceases, grasping ceases.
When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases.
When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases.
When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”