MN 37 · The Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving

MN 37 · The Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving

MN 37 · Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

And then Sakka, lord of gods, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho sakko devānamindo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, how do you briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans?”

“kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti?

“Lord of gods, take a mendicant who has heard: ‘Nothing is worth insisting on.’ When a mendicant has heard that nothing is worth insisting on, they directly know all things. Directly knowing all things, they completely understand all things. Completely understanding all things, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral— they meditate observing impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in those feelings. Meditating in this way, they don’t grasp at anything in the world. Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’ That’s how I briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans.”

“Idha, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti: ‘sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā’ti. Evañcetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti: ‘sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā’ti. So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti; sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti; sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti— sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, so tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto, paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati. Anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti. Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti.

Then Sakka, lord of gods, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Atha kho sakko devānamindo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha. He thought, “Did that spirit comprehend what the Buddha said when he agreed with him, or not? Why don’t I find out?”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti. Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi: “kiṁ nu kho so yakkho bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhisamecca anumodi udāhu no; yannūnāhaṁ taṁ yakkhaṁ jāneyyaṁ— yadi vā so yakkho bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhisamecca anumodi yadi vā no”ti?

And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Eastern Monastery and reappeared among the gods of the thirty-three. Now at that time Sakka was amusing himself in the Single Lotus Park, supplied and provided with a heavenly orchestra.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi. Tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo ekapuṇḍarīke uyyāne dibbehi pañcahi tūriyasatehi samappito samaṅgībhūto paricāreti.

Seeing Mahāmoggallāna coming off in the distance, he waved off the orchestra, approached Mahāmoggallāna, and said, “Come, my good fellow Moggallāna! Welcome, my good fellow! It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. Sit, my good Moggallāna, here, a seat is ready.” Mahāmoggallāna sat down on the seat spread out, while Sakka took a low seat and sat to one side.

Addasā kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna tāni dibbāni pañca tūriyasatāni paṭippaṇāmetvā yenāyasmā mahāmoggallāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca: “ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna, svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna. Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyaṁ akāsi yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya. Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti. Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane. Sakkopi kho devānamindo aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Mahāmoggallāna said to him, “Kosiya, how did the Buddha briefly explain freedom through the ending of craving? Please share this talk with me so that I can also get to hear it.”

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca: “yathā kathaṁ pana kho, kosiya, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsi? Sādhu mayampi etissā kathāya bhāgino assāma savanāyā”ti.

“My good Moggallāna, I have many duties, and much to do, not only for myself, but also for the gods of the thirty-three. Still, what is properly heard, learned, attended, and memorized does not vanish all of a sudden. Once upon a time, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. In that battle the gods won and the titans lost. When I returned from that battle as a conqueror, I created the Palace of Victory. The Palace of Victory has a hundred towers. Each tower has seven hundred chambers. Each chamber has seven nymphs. Each nymph has seven maids. Would you like to see the lovely Palace of Victory?” Mahāmoggallāna consented with silence.

“Mayaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, bahukiccā bahukaraṇīyā— appeva sakena karaṇīyena, api ca devānaṁyeva tāvatiṁsānaṁ karaṇīyena. Api ca, mārisa moggallāna, sussutaṁyeva hoti suggahitaṁ sumanasikataṁ sūpadhāritaṁ, yaṁ no khippameva antaradhāyati. Bhūtapubbaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. Tasmiṁ kho pana, mārisa moggallāna, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu. So kho ahaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, taṁ saṅgāmaṁ abhivijinitvā vijitasaṅgāmo tato paṭinivattitvā vejayantaṁ nāma pāsādaṁ māpesiṁ. Vejayantassa kho, mārisa moggallāna, pāsādassa ekasataṁ niyyūhaṁ. Ekekasmiṁ niyyūhe satta satta kūṭāgārasatāni. Ekamekasmiṁ kūṭāgāre satta satta accharāyo. Ekamekissā accharāya satta satta paricārikāyo. Iccheyyāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakaṁ daṭṭhun”ti? Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tuṇhībhāvena.

Then, putting Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in front, Sakka, lord of gods, and Vessavaṇa, the Great King, went to the Palace of Victory. When they saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance, Sakka’s maids, being discreet and prudent, each went to her own bedroom. They were just like a daughter-in-law who is discreet and prudent when they see their father-in-law.

Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo vessavaṇo ca mahārājā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ purakkhatvā yena vejayanto pāsādo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu. Addasaṁsu kho sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ; disvā ottappamānā hirīyamānā sakaṁ sakaṁ ovarakaṁ pavisiṁsu. Seyyathāpi nāma suṇisā sasuraṁ disvā ottappati hirīyati; evameva sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ disvā ottappamānā hirīyamānā sakaṁ sakaṁ ovarakaṁ pavisiṁsu.

Then Sakka and Vessavaṇa encouraged Moggallāna to wander and explore the palace, saying, “See, in the palace, my good Moggallāna, this lovely thing! And that lovely thing!”

Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo vessavaṇo ca mahārājā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ vejayante pāsāde anucaṅkamāpenti anuvicarāpenti: “idampi, mārisa moggallāna, passa vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakaṁ; idampi, mārisa moggallāna, passa vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakan”ti.

“That looks beautiful for the venerable Kosiya, as befits one who has made merit in the past. Humans, when they see something lovely, also say: ‘It looks beautiful enough for the gods of the thirty-three!’ That looks beautiful for the venerable Kosiya, as befits one who has made merit in the past.”

“Sobhati idaṁ āyasmato kosiyassa, yathā taṁ pubbe katapuññassa. Manussāpi kiñcideva rāmaṇeyyakaṁ disvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘sobhati vata bho yathā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānan’ti. Tayidaṁ āyasmato kosiyassa sobhati, yathā taṁ pubbe katapuññassā”ti.

Then Moggallāna thought, “This spirit lives much too negligently. Why don’t I stir up a sense of urgency in him?”

Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi: “atibāḷhaṁ kho ayaṁ yakkho pamatto viharati. Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ yakkhaṁ saṁvejeyyan”ti.

Then Moggallāna used his psychic power to make the Palace of Victory shake and rock and tremble with his big toe. Then Sakka, Vessavaṇa, and the gods of the thirty-three, their minds full of wonder and amazement, thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The ascetic has such power and might that he makes the god’s home shake and rock and tremble with his big toe!”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi yathā vejayantaṁ pāsādaṁ pādaṅguṭṭhakena saṅkampesi sampakampesi sampavedhesi. Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo, vessavaṇo ca mahārājā, devā ca tāvatiṁsā acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahesuṁ: “acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho. Samaṇassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā, yatra hi nāma dibbabhavanaṁ pādaṅguṭṭhakena saṅkampessati sampakampessati sampavedhessatī”ti.

Knowing that Sakka was shocked and awestruck, Moggallāna said to him, “Kosiya, how did the Buddha briefly explain freedom through the ending of craving? Please share this talk with me so that I can also get to hear it.”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ saṁviggaṁ lomahaṭṭhajātaṁ viditvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca: “yathā kathaṁ pana kho, kosiya, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsi? Sādhu mayampi etissā kathāya bhāgino assāma savanāyā”ti.

“My good fellow Moggallāna, I approached the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, ‘Sir, how do you briefly define a mendicant who is freed with the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans?’

“Idhāhaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsiṁ. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho ahaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti?

When I had spoken the Buddha said to me: ‘Lord of gods, it’s when a mendicant has heard: “Nothing is worth insisting on.” When a mendicant has heard that nothing is worth insisting on, they directly know all things. Directly knowing all things, they completely understand all things. Having completely understood all things, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral— they meditate observing impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in those feelings. Meditating in this way, they don’t grasp at anything in the world. Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished. They understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.” That’s how I briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans.’ That’s how the Buddha briefly explained freedom through the ending of craving to me.”

Evaṁ vutte, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavā maṁ etadavoca: ‘idha, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti: “sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti. Evañcetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti “sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti. So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā. So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto, paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati, anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati: “khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāti. Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti. Evaṁ kho me, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsī”ti.

Moggallāna approved and agreed with what Sakka said. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from among the gods of the thirty-three and reappeared in the Eastern Monastery.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sakkassa devānamindassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—devesu tāvatiṁsesu antarahito pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde pāturahosi.

Soon after Moggallāna left, Sakka’s maids said to him, “Good fellow, was that the Blessed One, your Teacher?”

Atha kho sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo acirapakkante āyasmante mahāmoggallāne sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavocuṁ: “eso nu te, mārisa, so bhagavā satthā”ti?

“No, it was not. That was my spiritual companion Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.”

“Na kho me, mārisa, so bhagavā satthā. Sabrahmacārī me eso āyasmā mahāmoggallāno”ti.

“You’re fortunate, good fellow, so very fortunate, to have a spiritual companion of such power and might! We can’t believe that’s not the Blessed One, your Teacher!”

“Lābhā te, mārisa, suladdhaṁ te, mārisa yassa te sabrahmacārī evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo. Aho nūna te so bhagavā satthā”ti.

Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, do you recall briefly explaining freedom through the ending of craving to a certain well-known and illustrious spirit?”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhijānāti no, bhante, bhagavā ahu ñātaññatarassa mahesakkhassa yakkhassa saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ bhāsitā”ti?

“I do, Moggallāna.” And the Buddha retold all that happened when Sakka came to visit him, adding:

“Abhijānāmahaṁ, moggallāna, idha sakko devānamindo yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho, moggallāna, sakko devānamindo maṁ etadavoca: ‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti.

“That’s how I recall briefly explaining freedom through the ending of craving to Sakka, lord of gods.”

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, moggallāna, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavocaṁ ‘idha devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti “sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti. Evaṁ cetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti “sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti. So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā. So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto, paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati, anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati: “khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāti. Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, moggallāna, abhijānāmi sakkassa devānamindassa saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ bhāsitā”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna approved what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.