Dhammapada Verses on Craving

“Just as rain seeps into a poorly roofed house, lust seeps into an undeveloped mind.”

“Just as rain doesn’t seep into a well roofed house, lust doesn’t seep into a well developed mind.”

“Little though they may recite scripture, if they live in line with the teaching, having given up greed, hate, and delusion, with deep understanding and heart well freed, not grasping to this life or the next, they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.”

“A mendicant who loves diligence, seeing fear in negligence— advances like fire, burning up fetters big and small.”

““Let both layfolk and renunciants think the work was done by me alone. In anything at all that’s to be done, let them fall under my sway alone.” So thinks the fool, their greed and pride only growing.”

“True persons give up everything, they don’t cajole for the things they desire. Though touched by sadness or happiness, the astute appear neither depressed nor elated.”

“And those whose minds are rightly developed in the awakening factors; who, letting go of attachments, delight in not grasping: with defilements ended, brilliant, they are quenched in this world.”

“Delightful are the wildernesses where no people delight. Those free of greed will delight there, not those who seek sensual pleasures.”

“I’ve seen you, house-builder! You won’t build a house again! Your rafters are all broken, your roof-peak demolished. The mind, set on demolition, has reached the end of cravings.”

“Of craving, the weaver, the clinger, he has none: so where can he be traced? By what track would you trace that Buddha, who leaves no track in his infinite range?”

“Thus they find no delight even in celestial pleasures. A disciple of the fully awakened Buddha delights in the ending of craving.”

“Let us live so very happily, content among the greedy. Among greedy humans, let us live content.”

“There is no fire like greed, no crime like hate, no suffering like the aggregates, no bliss beyond peace.”

“Sorrow springs from attachment, fear springs from attachment; one free from attachment has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Sorrow springs from desire, fear springs from desire; one free from desire has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Sorrow springs from craving, fear springs from craving; one free from craving has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Know this, my man: they are unrestrained and wicked. Don’t let that greed and unrighteousness inflict pain on you for long.”

“There is no fire like greed, no crime like hate, no net like delusion, no river like craving.”

“A liar and breaker of vows is no ascetic just because they shave their head. How on earth can one be an ascetic who’s full of desire and greed?”

“When a man lives heedlessly, craving grows in them like a camel’s foot creeper. They jump from one thing to the next, like a langur greedy for fruit in a forest grove.”

“Whoever is beaten by this wretched craving, this attachment to the world, their sorrow grows, like grass in the rain.”

“But whoever prevails over this wretched craving, so hard to get over in the world, their sorrows fall from them, like a drop from a lotus-leaf.”

“I say this to you, good people, all those who have gathered here: dig up the root of craving, as you’d dig up grass in search of roots. Don’t let Māra break you again and again, like a stream breaking a reed.”

“A tree grows back even when cut down, so long as its roots are strong and undamaged; suffering springs up again and again, so long as the tendency to craving is not pulled out.”

“A person of low views in whom the thirty-six streams that flow to pleasure are mighty, is swept away by lustful thoughts.”

“A personage’s joys flow from senses and cravings. Seekers of happiness, bent on pleasure, continue to be reborn and grow old.”

“People governed by thirst, crawl about like a trapped rabbit. Bound and fettered, for a long time they return to pain time and again.”

“People governed by thirst, crawl about like a trapped rabbit. That’s why one who longs for dispassion should dispel thirst.”

“Besotted by lust they fall into the stream, like a spider caught in the web she wove. The attentive proceed, having cut this one too, unconcerned, having given up all suffering.”

“For a personage churned by thoughts, very lustful, focusing on beauty, their craving grows and grows, tying them with a stout bond.”

“But one who loves to calm their thoughts, developing perception of ugliness, ever mindful, will surely eliminate that craving, cutting off the bonds of Māra.”

“One who is confident, unafraid, rid of craving, free of blemish, having struck down the arrows flying to future lives, this bag of bones is their last.”

“Rid of craving, free of grasping, expert in the definition of terms, knowing the correct structure and sequence of syllables, they are said to be one who bears their final body, one of great wisdom, a great person.”

“I am the vanquisher of all, the knower of all, unsullied in the midst of all things. I’ve given up all, freed in the ending of craving. Since I know for myself, whose follower should I be?”

“The gift of the teaching surmounts all other gifts; the taste of the teaching surmounts all other tastes; the joy of the teaching surmounts all other joys; the ending of craving surmounts all suffering.”

“Riches ruin a simpleton, but not a seeker of the far shore. From craving for wealth, a simpleton ruins themselves and others.”

“Weeds are the bane of crops, but greed is these folk’s bane. That’s why a gift to one rid of greed is so very fruitful.”

“Weeds are the bane of crops, but desire is these folk’s bane. That’s why a gift to one rid of desire is so very fruitful.”

“Bail out this boat, mendicant! When bailed out it will float lightly. Having cut off desire and hate, you shall reach extinguishment.”

“As a jasmine sheds its withered flowers, O mendicants, shed greed and hate.”

“When a brahmin has gone beyond dualistic phenomena, then they consciously make an end of all fetters.”

“Nothing is better for a brahmin than to hold their mind back from attachment. From wherever a cruel wish recoils, right there suffering subsides.”

“I don’t call someone a brahmin after the mother’s womb they’re born from. If they still have attachments, they’re just someone who says “worthy”. Having nothing, taking nothing: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“Having cut off all fetters they have no anxiety. They’ve slipped their chains and are detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“They’ve discarded greed and hate, along with conceit and contempt, like a mustard seed off the point of a pin: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“They’ve given up craving, and have gone forth from lay life; they’ve ended craving to be reborn: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“Giving up desire and discontent, they’re cooled and free of attachments; a hero, master of the whole world: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”