Bhārasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.22

Linked Discourses 22.22

3. Bhāravagga

3. The Burden

Bhārasutta

The Burden of Responsibility

Sāvatthiyaṁ … tatra kho …

At Sāvatthī.

“bhārañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi bhārahārañca bhārādānañca bhāranikkhepanañca.

“Mendicants, I will teach you the burden, the bearer of the burden, the taking up of the burden, and the putting down of the burden.

Taṁ suṇātha.

Listen …

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhāro?

And what is the burden?

Pañcupādānakkhandhā tissa vacanīyaṁ.

The five grasping aggregates, it should be said.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho;

The grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāro.

This is called the burden.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhārahāro?

And who is the bearer of the burden?

Puggalo tissa vacanīyaṁ.

The individual, it should be said;

Yvāyaṁ āyasmā evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto;

the venerable of such name and such clan.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhārahāro.

This is called the bearer of the burden.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhārādānaṁ?

And what is the taking up of the burden?

Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—

It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is,

kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā.

craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhārādānaṁ.

This is called the taking up of the burden.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāranikkhepanaṁ?

And what is the putting down of the burden?

Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.

It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāranikkhepanan”ti.

This is called the putting down of the burden.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Bhārā have pañcakkhandhā,

“The five aggregates are indeed burdens,

bhārahāro ca puggalo;

and the individual is the bearer of the burden.

Bhārādānaṁ dukhaṁ loke,

Taking up the burden is suffering in the world,

bhāranikkhepanaṁ sukhaṁ.

and putting the burden down is happiness.

Nikkhipitvā garuṁ bhāraṁ,

When the heavy burden is put down

aññaṁ bhāraṁ anādiya;

without taking up another,

Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha,

one who has plucked out craving, root and all,

nicchāto parinibbuto”ti.

is hungerless, quenched.”

Paṭhamaṁ.