SN 22-34 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Aggregates – Khandhavaggasaṁyutta > SN 22 Connected Discourses on the Aggregates – Khandhasaṁyutta > SN 22.22 The Burden

Linked Discourses 22.22 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.22

3. The Burden – 3. Bhāravagga

SN 22.22 The Burden – Bhārasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ … tatra kho …

“Bhikkhū, I will teach you the burden, the bearer of the burden, the picking up of the burden, and the putting down of the burden.

“bhārañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi bhārahārañca bhārādānañca bhāranikkhepanañca.

Listen …

Taṁ suṇātha.

And what is the burden?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhāro?

The five grasping aggregates, it should be said.

Pañcupādānakkhandhā tissa vacanīyaṁ.

What five?

Katame pañca?

The grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, saṅkhāra, and consciousness.

Rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho;

This is called the burden.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāro.

And who is the bearer of the burden?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhārahāro?

The person, it should be said;

Puggalo tissa vacanīyaṁ.

the venerable of such and such name and clan.

Yvāyaṁ āyasmā evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto;

This is called the bearer of the burden.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhārahāro.

And what is the picking up of the burden?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhārādānaṁ?

It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure in various different realms. That is,

Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—

craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence.

kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā.

This is called the picking up of the burden.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhārādānaṁ.

And what is the putting down of the burden?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāranikkhepanaṁ?

It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not adhering to it.

Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.

This is called the putting down of the burden.”

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāranikkhepanan”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“The five aggregates are indeed burdens,

“Bhārā have pañcakkhandhā,

and the person is the bearer of the burden.

bhārahāro ca puggalo;

Picking up the burden is suffering in the world,

Bhārādānaṁ dukhaṁ loke,

and putting the burden down is happiness.

bhāranikkhepanaṁ sukhaṁ.

When the heavy burden is put down

Nikkhipitvā garuṁ bhāraṁ,

without picking up another,

aññaṁ bhāraṁ anādiya;

and having plucked out craving, root and all,

Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha,

you’re hungerless, extinguished.”

nicchāto parinibbuto”ti.