The Ending of Craving

Ud 7.6 · Taṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

A single sharp thorn rises from a weathered twig against a soft woodland background.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Koṇḍañña Who Understood was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight, reviewing the freedom through the ending of craving.

The Buddha saw him meditating there.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“There is no root or ground or leaves for them, so where would creepers sprout from? That attentive one is released from bonds: who is worthy to criticize them? Even the gods praise them, and by the Divinity, too, they’re praised.”

Connections

Collection & context

UdānaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.