The Buddha teaches on ascetics and brahmins (2nd), explaining an aspect of dependent origination—its origin, cessation, and the practice leading to its cessation.

SN 12.30 Ascetics and Brahmins (2nd)

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Tatra kho …pe… ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti te vata jarāmaraṇaṁ samatikkamma ṭhassantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Jātiṁ nappajānanti …pe… bhavaṁupādānaṁtaṇhaṁvedanaṁphassaṁsaḷāyatanaṁnāmarūpaṁviññāṇaṁsaṅkhāre nappajānanti, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ nappajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti te vata saṅkhāre samatikkamma ṭhassantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti te vata jarāmaraṇaṁ samatikkamma ṭhassantīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. Jātiṁ pajānanti …pe… bhavaṁupādānaṁtaṇhaṁvedanaṁphassaṁsaḷāyatanaṁnāmarūpaṁviññāṇaṁsaṅkhāre pajānanti, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ pajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ pajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti. Te vata saṅkhāre samatikkamma ṭhassantīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Dasabalavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve dasabalā upanisā ca,
Aññatitthiyabhūmijo;
Upavāṇo paccayo bhikkhu,
Dve ca samaṇabrāhmaṇāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Tatra kho …pe…

ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti te vata jarāmaraṇaṁ samatikkamma ṭhassantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. It’s impossible that they will abide having transcended old age and death.

Jātiṁ nappajānanti …pe…

They don’t understand rebirth …

bhavaṁ

continued existence …

upādānaṁ

grasping …

taṇhaṁ

craving …

vedanaṁ

feeling …

phassaṁ

contact …

saḷāyatanaṁ

the six sense fields …

nāmarūpaṁ

name and form …

viññāṇaṁ

consciousness …

saṅkhāre nappajānanti, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ nappajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti te vata saṅkhāre samatikkamma ṭhassantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

They don’t understand choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. It’s impossible that they will abide having transcended choices.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ pajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti te vata jarāmaraṇaṁ samatikkamma ṭhassantīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

There are ascetics and brahmins who do understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. It’s possible that they will abide having transcended old age and death.

Jātiṁ pajānanti …pe…

They understand rebirth …

bhavaṁ

continued existence …

upādānaṁ

grasping …

taṇhaṁ

craving …

vedanaṁ

feeling …

phassaṁ

contact …

saḷāyatanaṁ

the six sense fields …

nāmarūpaṁ

name and form …

viññāṇaṁ

consciousness …

saṅkhāre pajānanti, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ pajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ pajānanti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti.

They understand choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation.

Te vata saṅkhāre samatikkamma ṭhassantīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

It’s possible that they will abide having transcended choices.”

Dasamaṁ.

Dasabalavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve dasabalā upanisā ca,

Aññatitthiyabhūmijo;

Upavāṇo paccayo bhikkhu,

Dve ca samaṇabrāhmaṇāti.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026