Venerable Sāriputta answers the wanderer Jambukhādaka on a question about floods, explaining the Dhamma and the practice that leads to extinguishment.

SN 38.11 A Question About Floods

“‘Ogho, ogho’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamo nu kho, āvuso, ogho”ti?

“Cattārome, āvuso, oghā. Kāmogho, bhavogho, diṭṭhogho, avijjogho ime kho, āvuso, cattāro oghā”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti? “Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti. “Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Ogho, ogho’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘a flood’.

Katamo nu kho, āvuso, ogho”ti?

What is a flood?”

“Cattārome, āvuso, oghā.

“Reverend, there are these four floods.

Kāmogho, bhavogho, diṭṭhogho, avijjogho

The floods of sensuality, desire to be reborn, views, and ignorance.

ime kho, āvuso, cattāro oghā”ti.

These are the four floods.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these floods?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“There is.” …

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etesaṁ oghānaṁ pahānāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Delusion

Delusion

A fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt.

Also known as: illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view
Pāli: moha, micchāñāṇa
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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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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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: craving for sensuality, passion for sensual pleasures, lust, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026