The Buddha teaches on sheaves of reeds, presenting an analysis of dependent origination and the causal links that give rise to suffering.

SN 12.67 Sheaves of Reeds

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇan”ti?

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ. Api ca jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan”ti.

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkatā jāti, paraṅkatā jāti, sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, udāhu asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jātī”ti?

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkatā jāti, na paraṅkatā jāti, na sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, nāpi asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jāti. Api ca bhavapaccayā jātī”ti.

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkato bhavo …pe… sayaṅkataṁ upādānaṁsayaṅkatā taṇhāsayaṅkatā vedanāsayaṅkato phassosayaṅkataṁ saḷāyatanaṁsayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpan”ti?

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ, adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ. Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan”ti.

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇan”ti?

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ. Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan”ti.

“Idāneva kho mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma: ‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ. Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.

Idāneva ca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma: ‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ. Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.

Yathā kathaṁ panāvuso sāriputta, imassa bhāsitassa attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

“Tenahāvuso, upamaṁ te karissāmi. Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānanti. Seyyathāpi, āvuso, dve naḷakalāpiyo aññamaññaṁ nissāya tiṭṭheyyuṁ.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ; viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ; nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. Tāsañce, āvuso, naḷakalāpīnaṁ ekaṁ ākaḍḍheyya, ekā papateyya; aparañce ākaḍḍheyya, aparā papateyya.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho; viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho; nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho; saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.

“Acchariyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta; abbhutaṁ, āvuso sāriputta. Yāvasubhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā sāriputtena. Idañca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ imehi chattiṁsāya vatthūhi anumodāma:

‘Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya. Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya. Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya. Jātiyā cebhavassa ceupādānassa cetaṇhāya cevedanāya cephassassa cesaḷāyatanassa cenāmarūpassa ceviññāṇassa cesaṅkhārānañceavijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya. Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya. Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāyā’”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta:

“kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇan”ti?

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, are old age and death made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or do they arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another?”

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ.

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, old age and death are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan”ti.

Rather, rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkatā jāti, paraṅkatā jāti, sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, udāhu asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jātī”ti?

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is rebirth made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or does it arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another?”

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkatā jāti, na paraṅkatā jāti, na sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, nāpi asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jāti.

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, rebirth is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca bhavapaccayā jātī”ti.

Rather, continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkato bhavo …pe…

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is continued existence made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkataṁ upādānaṁ

“Is grasping made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkatā taṇhā

“Is craving made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkatā vedanā

“Is feeling made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkato phasso

“Is contact made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkataṁ saḷāyatanaṁ

“Are the six sense fields made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpan”ti?

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, are name and form made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or do they arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another?”

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ, adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ.

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, name and form are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan”ti.

Rather, consciousness is a requirement for name and form.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇan”ti?

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is consciousness made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or does it arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another?”

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ.

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, consciousness is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan”ti.

Rather, name and form are requirements for consciousness.”

“Idāneva kho mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma:

“Just now I understood you to say:

‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ.

‘No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, name and form are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.

Rather, consciousness is a requirement for name and form.’

Idāneva ca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma:

But I also understood you to say:

‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ.

‘No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, consciousness is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another.

Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.

Rather, name and form are requirements for consciousness.’

Yathā kathaṁ panāvuso sāriputta, imassa bhāsitassa attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

How then should we see the meaning of this statement?”

“Tenahāvuso, upamaṁ te karissāmi.

“Well then, reverend, I shall give you a simile.

Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānanti.

For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, dve naḷakalāpiyo aññamaññaṁ nissāya tiṭṭheyyuṁ.

Suppose there were two sheaves of reeds leaning up against each other.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ;

In the same way, name and form are requirements for consciousness.

viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ;

Consciousness is a requirement for name and form.

nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ;

Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields.

saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …pe…

The six sense fields are requirements for contact. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

Tāsañce, āvuso, naḷakalāpīnaṁ ekaṁ ākaḍḍheyya, ekā papateyya;

If the first of those sheaves of reeds were to be pulled away, the other would collapse.

aparañce ākaḍḍheyya, aparā papateyya.

And if the other were to be pulled away, the first would collapse.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho;

In the same way, when name and form cease, consciousness ceases.

viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho;

When consciousness ceases, name and form cease.

nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho;

When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease.

saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe…

When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

“Acchariyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta;

“It’s incredible, Reverend Sāriputta, it’s amazing!

abbhutaṁ, āvuso sāriputta.

Yāvasubhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā sāriputtena.

How well spoken this was by Venerable Sāriputta!

Idañca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ imehi chattiṁsāya vatthūhi anumodāma:

And we can express our agreement with Venerable Sāriputta’s statement on these thirty-six grounds.

‘Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who speaks on Dhamma’.

Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who practices in line with the teaching’.

Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who has attained extinguishment in this very life’.

Jātiyā ce

If a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment regarding rebirth …

bhavassa ce

continued existence …

upādānassa ce

grasping …

taṇhāya ce

craving …

vedanāya ce

feeling …

phassassa ce

contact …

saḷāyatanassa ce

the six sense fields …

nāmarūpassa ce

name and form …

viññāṇassa ce

consciousness …

saṅkhārānañce

choices …

avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who speaks on Dhamma’.

Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who practices in line with the teaching’.

Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāyā’”ti.

If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who has attained extinguishment in this very life’.”

Sattamaṁ.

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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Dispassion

Dispassion

The fading of desire and attraction toward conditioned things. It arises through seeing the impermanent and unsatisfactory nature of experience. It is the natural fragrance of understanding and the forerunner of release.

Also known as: detachment, disinterest, fading of desire, disentanglement
Pāli: virāga, visaṁyutta
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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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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026