The Buddha teaches how a mendicant develops the seven awakening factors—mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity—depending on and grounded on ethics, relying on seclusion, fading away, and cessation.

SN 46.26 The Ending of Craving

“Yo, bhikkhave, maggo paṭipadā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattati, taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ bhāvetha. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, maggo katamā ca paṭipadā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattati? Yadidaṁ satta bojjhaṅgā. Katame satta? Satisambojjhaṅgo …pe… upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo”ti. Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“kathaṁ bhāvitā nu kho, bhante, satta bojjhaṅgā, kathaṁ bahulīkatā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattantī”ti?

“Idha, udāyi, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ. Tassa satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvayato vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ taṇhā pahīyati. Taṇhāya pahānā kammaṁ pahīyati. Kammassa pahānā dukkhaṁ pahīyati …pe…

upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ. Tassa upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvayato vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ taṇhā pahīyati taṇhāya pahānā kammaṁ pahīyati. Kammassa pahānā dukkhaṁ pahīyati.

Iti kho, udāyi, taṇhakkhayā kammakkhayo, kammakkhayā dukkhakkhayo”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Yo, bhikkhave, maggo paṭipadā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattati, taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ bhāvetha.

“Mendicants, you should develop the path and the practice that leads to the ending of craving.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, maggo katamā ca paṭipadā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattati?

And what is the path and the practice that leads to the ending of craving?

Yadidaṁ

satta bojjhaṅgā.

It is the seven awakening factors.

Katame satta?

What seven?

Satisambojjhaṅgo …pe… upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo”ti.

The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Udāyī said to him:

“kathaṁ bhāvitā nu kho, bhante, satta bojjhaṅgā, kathaṁ bahulīkatā taṇhakkhayāya saṁvattantī”ti?

“Sir, how are the seven awakening factors developed and cultivated so as to lead to the ending of craving?”

“Idha, udāyi, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ.

“Udāyī, it’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. And it is abundant, expansive, limitless, and free of ill will.

Tassa satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvayato vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ taṇhā pahīyati.

As they do so, craving is given up.

Taṇhāya pahānā kammaṁ pahīyati.

When craving is given up, deeds are given up.

Kammassa pahānā dukkhaṁ pahīyati …pe…

When deeds are given up, suffering is given up. …

upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ.

A mendicant develops the awakening factor of equanimity, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. And it is abundant, expansive, limitless, and free of ill will.

Tassa upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvayato vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ vipulaṁ mahaggataṁ appamāṇaṁ abyāpajjaṁ taṇhā pahīyati

As they do so, craving is given up.

taṇhāya pahānā kammaṁ pahīyati.

When craving is given up, deeds are given up.

Kammassa pahānā dukkhaṁ pahīyati.

When deeds are given up, suffering is given up.

Iti kho, udāyi, taṇhakkhayā kammakkhayo, kammakkhayā dukkhakkhayo”ti.

And so, Udāyī, when craving ends, deeds end; when deeds end suffering ends.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

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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Equanimity

Equanimity

A state of mental poise and balance, characterized by non-reactivity and composure in the face of agreeable or disagreeable experiences.

Also known as: mental poise, mental balance, equipose, non-reactivity, composure
Pāli: upekkha
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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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