• Linked Discourses 22.31 Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.31
  • 3. The Burden 3. Bhāravagga

The Root of Misery Aghamūlasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, I will teach you misery and the root of misery. “Aghañca, bhikkhave, desessāmi aghamūlañca. Listen … Taṁ suṇātha.

And what is misery? Katamañca, bhikkhave, aghaṁ? Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are misery. Rūpaṁ, bhikkhave, aghaṁ, vedanā aghaṁ, saññā aghaṁ, saṅkhārā aghaṁ, viññāṇaṁ aghaṁ. This is called misery. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, aghaṁ.

And what is the root of misery? Katamañca, bhikkhave, aghamūlaṁ? It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure wherever it lands. That is, Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī; craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence. Seyyathidaṁ—kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā. This is called the root of misery.” Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, aghamūlan”ti.

Dasamaṁ.