The Danger of Craving

revised on 2021-01-11

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 5th October 1960

There is little gratification in sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇa), but more dukkha. Here the Buddha taught about the way to the extermination of craving. It’ll never give us satisfaction instead giving us sufferings most of the time. We are used to doing things which never give us satisfaction and will suffer accordingly to the actions (kamma). (Sayadaw referred it to the 12 links of D.A. Chart.) The four painful existences of the khandha will appear for us, because these are the actions done with the unwholesome mind (akusala cittas). Is there any action to the good destination (sugati) and Nibbāna? It happens because with dissatisfaction we make the effort with clinging. This is the power of craving.

Taṇhā is very bad indeed. You have to die only with the burning of taṇhā fire if you can’t throw it away. (i.e., referred to the holding of the blazing grass torch.) Because taṇhā is grasping at it. You are more foolish than that; you can't let go, even when it's burning. This is a kind of stupidity by burning oneself. Grasping to something which burns oneself is a kind of craziness. A burnt corpse by fire will go to apāya (woeful destination). Why? Because it was a miserable death. First don’t go and hold at it. If you have already held at it, just throw it away. You all had held on it with family members (wife and children); but you still can be free if you let it go. Throw them away with knowledge (ñāṇa). You didn’t see your first foolishness (i.e., went and held at it). You don’t see your second foolishness (i.e., burn with kilesa fire and fall into painful existences—apāya. With knowledge (ñāṇa) contemplate all of them as non-self. It’s contemplating of insight (vipassanā) by knowing as not good to hold on it. Contemplate with insight to external phenomena and also to one’s body. Samudaya ceases (i.e., taṇhā) by not holding with taṇhā, upādāna and kamma, and the following dukkha also ceases. (i.e., birth—jāti).

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revised on 2021-01-11

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• Content of Part 13 on "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of Publications of Ven. Uttamo

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