Chapter 24: Thirst

The author establishes that thirst grows like an unchecked creeper in a thoughtless man, causing him to transmigrate through multiple lives seeking satisfaction, like a monkey searching for fruit.

When fierce thirst with its poison overcomes a person, their sufferings multiply abundantly, compared to rapidly spreading grass.

Those who conquer this difficult thirst experience the dissolution of their sufferings, as water drops slide off a lotus leaf without clinging.

The author commands the audience to dig up the root of thirst, using the metaphor of extracting a sweet-scented root while removing weeds, to prevent repeated oppression by Mara.

Like a cut tree that regrows from its safe root, the pain of life returns repeatedly if the feeders of thirst are not completely destroyed.

The man whose thirst for pleasure runs strongly through the thirty-six channels will be swept away by waves of desire toward passion.

Since channels of desire run everywhere and passion creeps constantly, one must cut the root of the creeper through knowledge.

Creatures caught in extravagant and luxurious pleasures, sunk in lust and seeking gratification, continually undergo birth and decay.

Men driven by thirst run about like a trapped hare, held in fetters and bonds, enduring pain repeatedly throughout their existence.

The mendicant (spiritual practitioner) should drive out thirst by striving after passionlessness for themselves, echoing the parallel fate of men caught in thirst-driven desires.

The author illustrates through the metaphor of the forest that those who escape lust but return to it paradoxically abandon their freedom for bondage.

Wise people recognize that fetters made of iron, wood, or hemp are not as strong as the care and attachment to precious things, children, and spouse.

Wise people identify the fetter of desire as truly strong because it drags one down while appearing manageable, yet is difficult to cut through.

Those enslaved to passion run down the stream of desires like a spider descending its own web, but when cut loose, wise people leave the world free from care and affection.

One must give up attachments to the past, future, and present to cross to the other shore of existence; with complete mental freedom, one avoids rebirth and decay.

A man tossed by doubts and strong passions, yearning only for pleasant things, grows thirst and strengthens his own fetters.

By delighting in quieting doubts and constantly reflecting on the impurity and unpleasant nature of things, one cuts the fetter of Mara.

The one who has reached perfection does not tremble, is without thirst and sin, has broken all thorns of life, and this will be their last body.

The great sage is without thirst or affection, understands the words and their meanings, knows the order of letters, and receives their final body.

The Buddha proclaims that he has conquered all, knows all, is free from taint in all conditions, and through the destruction of thirst is fully free.

The gift of the law is superior to all other gifts, and the extinction of thirst through understanding the law overcomes all pain.

Pleasures destroy those foolish enough not to seek the other shore of liberation; by craving pleasures, the foolish destroy themselves like their own enemy.

Fields are ruined by weeds just as mankind is damaged by passion; therefore, gifts given to the passionless bring great reward.

Fields are damaged by weeds just as mankind is damaged by hatred; therefore, gifts given to those free from hatred bring great reward.

Fields are destroyed by weeds just as mankind is damaged by vanity; therefore, gifts given to the vanity-free bring great reward.

Fields are damaged by weeds just as mankind is damaged by lust; therefore, gifts given to those free from lust bring great reward.