(24.1–26)
334. If a person walks unaware
His craving grows like a māluvā creeper.
He jumps hither and thither
Like a monkey seeking fruit in a wood.
335. If someone is overpowered
By this fierce craving, the clinging to the world,
His sorrows increase
Like bīraṇa grass after rain.
336. But if someone overpowers
This fierce craving, hard to overcome in the world,
His sorrows fall away from him
Like a water-drop from a lotus.
337. So I say to you, venerable sirs,
As many as are met together here:
Dig up the root of craving
As one seeking the usira root digs up bīraṇa grass.
Don’t let Māra break you,
As a flood breaks a reed, again and again.
338. Just as a tree, if its root is undamaged and firm,
Even when cut down, grows again,
So, when the tendency to craving is not rooted out,
Suffering springs up again and again.
339. If the thirty-six streams that flow towards enchanting things
Are strong in someone,
Floods, imaginings of passion,
Carry off that person of wrong views.
340. The streams ever flow,
The creeper sprouts and stands tall.
When you see that the creeper has grown up,
Cut out its root with wisdom.
341. For a person, there are wide-flowing
And lovely delights.
Those folk who depend on pleasure, seekers of happiness,
Undergo birth and old age.
342. Those who are subject to craving
Crawl around like a trapped hare.
Bound by fetters and bonds, for a long time
They undergo suffering again and again.
343. Those who are subject to craving
Crawl around like a trapped hare.
So a monk should put away craving
If he desires his own freedom from passion.
344. Come, see the man
Who, without brushwood, and committed to the wood,
Freed from the wood, runs back to the wood!
Though freed, he runs back to his bonds.
345. That’s not a strong bond, say the wise,
One made of iron, wood or rope.
The longing for jewelled earrings,
Affection for children and wives –
346. This is a strong bond, say the wise,
Heavy, hard to escape for the slack.
But, cutting even this, folk go forth, without longing,
Leaving sensual pleasure behind.
347. Those who are attached to passion follow a stream
They have made for themselves, as a spider follows its web.
But, cutting even this, the wise go on, without longing,
Leaving all suffering behind.
348. Let go what’s before, let go what’s after,
Let go what’s in the middle: cross to the other shore!
With your mind freed on all fronts,
You won’t come to birth and old age again.
349. If a person is churned up by thoughts
Of strong passion, dwelling on the fair,
His craving grows yet more:
He makes the bond strong.
350. But the one who delights in calming his thoughts –
Who, ever mindful, contemplates the foul –
He will finish it.
He will cut Māra’s bond.
351. The one who has reached the goal, fearless,
Without craving, flawless,
Has cut out the darts of existence.
This accumulation is his last.
352. The one without craving, without clinging,
Skilled in etymology and words,
Who knows the order of letters
And what comes before and after:
Is very wise, a great person –
So he is called.
353. All-conquering, all-knowing am I,
Undefiled among all dhammas,
All-renouncing, released through the destruction of craving.
I myself have understood, so to whom should I point as teacher?
354. The gift of Dhamma conquers all gifts;
The flavour of Dhamma conquers all flavours;
The pleasure of Dhamma conquers all pleasures;
The destruction of craving conquers all suffering.
355. Riches destroy the fool,
But not the one who seeks the other shore.
Through craving for riches, the fool
Destroys himself as he does others.
356. Fields are spoiled by weeds;
These folk are spoiled by passion –
So a gift to those without passion
Bears great fruit.
357. Fields are spoiled by weeds;
These folk are spoiled by hatred –
So a gift to those without hatred
Bears great fruit.
358. Fields are spoiled by weeds;
These folk are spoiled by delusion –
So a gift to those without delusion
Bears great fruit.
359. Fields are spoiled by weeds;
These folk are spoiled by desire –
So a gift to those without desire
Bears great fruit.