"If There is Lust" (sutra)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.), Sutta Central, Saṁyutta Nikāya, "Connected Discourses" on Causation; edited by Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

If There is Lust (SN 12.64)

Buddha, I'm Mara Devaputra (Eros).

At Savatthī [the Buddha taught:] “Meditators, there are four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that have already come to be and for the sustenance of those about to come to be. What are the four? The nutriments of:

1. food (gross or subtle)
2. contact
3. mental volition
4. consciousness.

“These are the four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that have already come to be and for the sustenance of those about to come to be.

“If, meditators, there is lust for the nutriment of edible food, if there is delight, if there is craving, consciousness becomes established there and comes to growth. Wherever consciousness becomes established and comes to growth, there is a descent of name-and-form.

“Where there is a descent of name-and-form, there is the growth of volitional formations [cetana]. Where there is the growth of volitional formations, there is the production of future renewed existence [rebirth].

“Where there is the production of future renewed existence, there is future birth, aging, and death. Where there is future birth, aging, and death, I say it is accompanied by sorrow, anguish, and despair.

“If, meditators, there is lust for the nutriment of contact, or for the nutriment of mental volition, or for the nutriment of consciousness, if there is delight, if there is craving, consciousness becomes established there and comes to growth.

“Wherever consciousness becomes established and comes to growth…I say it is accompanied by sorrow, anguish, and despair [dukkha, disappointment].

“Meditators, suppose an artist or a painter, using dye or lac or turmeric or indigo or crimson, were to create the figure of a man or a woman complete in all its features on a well-polished plank or wall or canvas.

“So, too, if there is lust for the nutriment of edible food, or for the nutriment of contact, or for the nutriment of mental volition, or for the nutriment of consciousness, if there is delight, if there is craving, consciousness becomes established there and comes to growth.

“Wherever consciousness becomes established and comes to growth…I say that is accompanied by sorrow, anguish, and despair.

“Meditators, if there is no lust for the nutriment of edible food, or for the nutriment of contact, or for the nutriment of mental volition, or for the nutriment of consciousness, if there is no delight, if there is no craving, consciousness does not become established there and does not come to growth.

“Where consciousness does not become established or come to growth, there is no descent of name-and-form.

“Where there is no descent of name-and-form, there is no growth of volitional formations. Where there is no growth of volitional formations, there is no production of future renewed existence.

“Where there is no production of future renewed existence, there is no future birth, aging, and death. Where there is no future birth, aging, and death, I say it is without sorrow, anguish, and despair.

“Suppose, meditators, there were a house or a hall with a peaked roof, with windows on the northern, southern, and eastern sides. When the sun rises and a beam of light enters through a window, where would it become established?”

“On the western wall, venerable sir.”

“If there were no western wall, where would it become established?”

“On the earth, venerable sir.”

“If there were no earth, where would it become established?”

“On the water, venerable sir.”

“If there were no water, where would it become established?”

“It would not become established anywhere, venerable sir.”

“So too, meditators, if there is no lust for the nutriment of edible food…for the nutriment of contact…for the nutriment of mental volition…for the nutriment of consciousness…consciousness does not become established there or come to growth.

“Where consciousness does not become established or come to growth…I say it is free of sorrow, anguish, and despair.”