Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

Despair is the act and state of dejection, of despondency, of one who is visited by some calamity or other, of one who is smitten by some kind of ill. This is what is called despair.

[307] And what, bhikkhus, is the ill of not getting what is wished for ?

In beings subject to birth the wish arises : — ' Ah ! if only we were not subject to birth, if only we could avoid being born ! ' But this is not to be got by wishing. This is the ill of not getting what is wished for. So too in the case of growing old, falling ill, dying, grieving, lamenting, suffering, being in misery and in despair, in being subject to these the wish arises : — 'Ah ! if only we were not subject to this one or that one of those things ! If only we could avoid them ! ' But this cannot be had for the wishing. This again is the ill of not getting what is wished for.

And what, bhikkhus, is ' in a word the Five Groups that arise from Grasping' ? These are the Groups of material form, of feeling, of perception, of dispositions, and of cognition that arise from grasping. This is what is called ' in a word the Five Groups that arise from Grasping are associated with 111.'

This, bhikkhus, is the Aryan Truth regarding 111.

19. [308] And what, bhikkhus, is the Aryan Truth concerning the coming to be of 111 ?

Even this Craving, potent for rebirth, that is accomz 2

340 XXII. MAHA SATIPA7Ttf ANA SUTTANTA. D. ii. 308.

panied by lust and self-indulgence, seeking satisfaction now here now there, to wit, the craving for the life of sense, the craving for becoming (renewed life), and the craving for not becoming (for no rebirth) 1.

Now this Craving, bhikkhus, where does it take its rise, where does it have its dwelling? In those material things of this world which are dear to us, which are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

What things in this world are dear, what things are pleasant ? The sense of sight, the sense of hearing, the senses of smell, taste, touch and imagination — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

Things seen, things heard, things smelt, tasted, tangible, things in memory recalled — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

The thoughts that arise through sight, the thoughts that arise through hearing, the thoughts that arise through smell, taste, touch and imagination — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

The stimulus of visual sense, the stimulus of auditory sense, the stimulus of the senses of smell, taste, touch and imagination — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. [309] There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

Feeling that is born of the stimulus of the visual sense, feeling that is born of the stimulus of the

1 Vibhava. This word usually means power, prosperity, success — the prefix vi being used as an intensitive particle. In this particular connexion the traditional interpretation takes the prefix in a negative sense, and paraphrases the word by ' the absence of becoming (bhava).' This view is apparently supported by some Nikaya passages (S. Ill, 57 ; It, no. 49), and by the Dhamma Sa/»ga»l 13 14. I3ut it may be derived from them; and it is odd that the word should have been found nowhere else in that sense. It is quite possible that the original sense was the usual one. At Dhp. 282 it seems to mean decline in wisdom.

D. ii. 310. SETTING-UP OF MINDFULNESS. 34 1

auditory sense, feeling that is born of the stimulus of the senses of smell, taste, touch and feeling born of imagination — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.

The perceiving of things visible, the perceiving of things audible, the perceiving of things odorous, sapid, tangible, of things in memory recalled — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. There does Craving take its rise, there does it dwell.