The Buddha describes the four uprisings of craving that can arise in a bhikkhu - 1) for a robe, 2) alms food, 3) lodging, and 4) for this or that state of existence.

ITI 105  Taṇhuppāda sutta - Uprisings of Craving

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, taṇhuppādā, yattha bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati. Katame cattāro? Cīvarahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; piṇḍapātahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; senāsanahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; itibhavābhavahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro taṇhuppādā yattha bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjatī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, there are these four uprisings of |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|, where craving, as it arises in a bhikkhu, |accrues::goes up, becomes available as a fuel for further actions [uppajjati]|. What four? 1) Craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of a robe; 2) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of alms food; 3) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of lodging; 4) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of this or that state of |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|. These, bhikkhus, are the four uprisings of craving where craving arising in a bhikkhu accrues.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“Taṇhādutiyo puriso,
dīghamaddhāna saṁsaraṁ;
Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
saṁsaraṁ nātivattati.

“A person with craving as their companion,
wanders on for a long time;
From one state of existence to another,
they do not go beyond |cyclic existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]|.

Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā,
taṇhaṁ dukkhassa sambhavaṁ;
Vītataṇho anādāno,
sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.

Having understood this |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]| clearly,
that craving leads to the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]| of suffering;
Free from craving and |not grasping::not taking anything as one’s own [anādāna]|,
a bhikkhu should wander mindfully.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“Bhikkhus, there are these four uprisings of |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|, where craving, as it arises in a bhikkhu, |accrues::goes up, becomes available as a fuel for further actions [uppajjati]|. What four? 1) Craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of a robe; 2) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of alms food; 3) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of lodging; 4) craving arises in a bhikkhu for the sake of this or that state of |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|. These, bhikkhus, are the four uprisings of craving where craving arising in a bhikkhu accrues.”

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“A person with craving as their companion,
wanders on for a long time;
From one state of existence to another,
they do not go beyond |cyclic existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]|.

Having understood this |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]| clearly,
that craving leads to the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]| of suffering;
Free from craving and |not grasping::not taking anything as one’s own [anādāna]|,
a bhikkhu should wander mindfully.”

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, taṇhuppādā, yattha bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati. Katame cattāro? Cīvarahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; piṇḍapātahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; senāsanahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati; itibhavābhavahetu vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro taṇhuppādā yattha bhikkhuno taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjatī”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Taṇhādutiyo puriso,
dīghamaddhāna saṁsaraṁ;
Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
saṁsaraṁ nātivattati.

Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā,
taṇhaṁ dukkhassa sambhavaṁ;
Vītataṇho anādāno,
sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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