sn.22.22 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Burden

At Savatthi…. There the Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the burden, the carrier of the burden, the taking up of the burden, and the laying down of the burden. Listen to that….

“And what, bhikkhus, is the burden? It should be said: the five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. This is called the burden.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the carrier of the burden? It should be said: the person, this venerable one of such a name and clan. This is called the carrier of the burden.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the taking up of the burden? It is this craving that leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. This is called the taking up of the burden.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the laying down of the burden? It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it. This is called the laying down of the burden.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“The five aggregates are truly burdens,
The burden-carrier is the person.
Taking up the burden is suffering in the world,
Laying the burden down is blissful.

Having laid the heavy burden down
Without taking up another burden,
Having drawn out craving with its root,
One is free from hunger, fully quenched.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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The Burden

At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, I will teach you the burden, the bearer of the burden, the picking up of the burden, and the putting down of the burden.
Listen …
And what is the burden?
The five grasping aggregates, it should be said.
What five?
The grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
This is called the burden.
And who is the bearer of the burden?
The person, it should be said;
the venerable of such and such name and clan.
This is called the bearer of the burden.
And what is the picking up of the burden?
It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, chasing pleasure in various realms. That is,
craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence.
This is called the picking up of the burden.
And what is the putting down of the burden?
It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not adhering to it.
This is called the putting down of the burden.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“The five aggregates are indeed burdens,
and the person is the bearer of the burden.
Picking up the burden is suffering in the world,
and putting the burden down is happiness.
When the heavy burden is put down
without picking up another,
and having plucked out craving, root and all,
you’re hungerless, extinguished.”