Mahasatipatthana Sutta

b. Samudayasacca Pabba (Section on the Noble Truth of the Cause of Dukkha)

And what, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the cause of dukkha? It is that craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth; and which together with delight and clinging, (accepts, enjoys, and) finds great delight in this or that (existence or sense pleasure that happens to arise). Namely, craving for sense pleasures (kamatanha), craving for (better) existences (bhavatanha), and craving for non-existence (vibhavatanha).note97

When this craving arises, bhikkhus, where does it arise? When it establishes itself,note98 where does it establish itself? When this craving arises and establishes itself, it does so in the delightful and pleasurable characteristics of the world.note99

What are the delightful and pleasurable characteristics of the world? In the world, the eye has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises, it arises there (i.e. in the eye); when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there. In the world, the ear…. In the world, the nose…. In the world, the tongue…. In the world, the body…. In the world, the mind has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

In the world, visible objects…. In the world, sounds…. In the world, odours…. In the world, tastes…. In the world, tactile objects…. In the world, dhammas have the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

In the world, eye-consciousness…. In the world, ear-consciousness…. In the world, nose-consciousness…. In the world, tongue-consciousness…. In the world, body-consciousness…. In the world, mind-consciousness has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

In the world, eye-contact…. In the world, ear-contact…. In the world, nose-contact…. In the world, tongue-contact…. In the world, body-contact…. In the world, mind-contact has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.note100

In the world, the feeling born of eye-contact…. In the world, the feeling born of ear-contact…. In the world, the feeling born of nose-contact…. In the world, the feeling born of tongue-contact…. In the world, the feeling born of body-contact…. In the world, the feeling born of mind-contact has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

In the world, the perception of visible objects…. In the world, the perception of sounds…. In the world, the perception of odours…. In the world, the perception of tastes…. In the world, the perception of tactile objects…. In the world, the perception of dhammas has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. Then this craving arises it arises there, when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

In the world, the volition towards visible objects…. In the world, the volition towards sounds…. In the world, the volition towards odours…. In the world, the volition towards tastes…. In the world, the volition towards tactile objects…. In the world, the volition towards dhammas has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.note101

In the world, the craving for visible objects…. In the world, the craving for sounds…. In the world, the craving for odours…. In the world, the craving for tastes…. In the world, the craving for tactile objects….

In the world, the craving for dhammas has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.
In the world, the initial thinking about visible objects…. In the world, the initial thinking about sounds…. In the world, the initial thinking about odours…. In the world, the initial thinking about tastes…. In the world, the initial thinking about tactile objects…. In the world, the initial thinking about dhammas has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.note102

In the world, the continued thinking about visible objects…. In the world, the continued thinking about sounds…. In the world, the continued thinking about odours…. In the world, the continued thinking about tastes…. In the world, the continued thinking about tactile objects…. In the world, the continued thinking about dhammas has the characteristic of being delightful and pleasurable. When this craving arises it arises there; when it establishes itself, it establishes itself there.

This, bhikkhus, is called the Noble Truth of the cause of dukkha.