As creeping ivy craving grows
in one living carelessly.
Like this, one leaps from life to life
as ape in the forest seeking fruit.

Whomsoever in this world
this wretched clinging craving routs
for such a one do sorrows grow
as grass well-soaked with rain.

But whoever in the world
routs wretched craving hard to quell,
from such a one do sorrows fall
like water drops from lotus leaf.

Prosperity to you, I say,
to all assembled here!
When needing grass’s fragrant root
so craving extirpate.
Don’t let Mara break you again
and again as a torrent a reed!

As tree though felled shoots up again
it its roots are safe and firm
so this dukkha grows again
while latent craving’s unremoved.

For whom the six and thirty streams
so forceful flow to seeming sweet
floods of thought that spring from lust
sweep off such wrong viewholder.

Everywhere these streams are swirling,
up-bursting creepers rooted firm.
Seeing the craving-creeper there
with wisdom cut its root!

To beings there are pleasures streaming
sticky with desire,
steeped in comfort, happiness seeking,
such ones do come to birth, decay.

Who follow craving are assailed,
they tremble as the hare ensnared,
held fast by fetter and by bonds
so long they come to dukkha again.

Who follow craving are assailed,
they tremble as the hare ensnared,
so let a bhikkhu craving quell
whose aim is passionlessness

Who without woodness inclines to the wood.
Free in the wood to woodness returns.
Do now regard that person well
who free returns to fetter.

Neither of iron nor wood nor hemp
is bond so strong, proclaim the wise,
as passion’s yearn for sons, for wives,
for gems and ornaments.

That bond is strong, proclaim the wise,
down-dragging, pliable, hard to lose.
This passion severed, they wander forth
forsaking sensual pleasures.

Ensnared in passion back they fall
as spider on a self-spun web.
This passion severed, wander the wise
forsaking dukkha all.

Let go before, let go the after,
let go the middle, beyond the becoming.
With mind released in every way
you’ll come no more to birth, decay.

For one who’s crushed by thinking much
excessive lust from beauty’s sight,
for that one craving grows the more,
that one makes strong the bonds.

But who delights in calming thoughts
develops constant mindfulness,
that one indeed will make an End,
will sever Mara’s bonds.

One who’s fearless, reached the End,
of craving and of blemish free,
who has becoming’s thorn plucked out,
has this, a final body.

One of clinging-craving free,
who’s skilled in way of chanting,
knowing the wording-sequence,
of what precedes and follows,
possessed of final body,
one greatly wise, great person called.

Beyond all beings, wise to all,
unsoiled by dhamma all am I,
left all and freed by craving’s end,
by self I’ve known, whom teacher call?

Gift of Dhamma surpasses all gifts,
the Dhamma, its taste all other tastes beats,
delight in the Dhamma bests other delights,
destruction of craving conquers all ill.

Riches ruin a foolish one
but not one seeking the Further Shore,
craving for wealth a foolish one
is ruined as if ruining others.

Weeds are a fault of fields,
lust’s a human fault,
thus offerings to the lustless
bear abundant fruit.

Weeds are a fault of fields,
hate’s a human fault,
hence offerings to the hateless
bear abundant fruit.

Weed are the fault of fields,
delusion, human’s faults,
so gifts to the undeluded
bear abundant fruit.

Weed are the fault of fields,
delusion, human’s faults,
so gifts to the desireless
bear abundant fruit.